Albanese to spruik AUKUS benefits in high-stakes G7 talks with Trump

Anthony Albanese faces a challenge to rebuild Australia’s relationship with America, after securing a critical sit down with Donald Trump as voters at home grow increasingly pessimistic about the US President.

Pressure to meet with Mr Trump had mounted after the Pentagon on Thursday launched a 30-day snap review into the $370 billion AUKUS defence pact, sparking fears for its future.

Mr Albanese confirmed on the weekend his crucial sit-down with the US President was slated for Tuesday local time on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada, where alongside AUKUS, securing free trade will be top of the agenda.

But the Prime Minister also has to reassure Australians, with a new poll showing local trust in the US is at its lowest point in 20 years, with more than two-thirds of Aussies pessimistic about Trump’s presidency.

A new Lowy Institute report shows Australians rank Mr Trump and China’s President Xi Jinping equally as the more reliable partner, and more than 60 per cent have little to no trust in the United States.

Australians’ feeling of safety has also dropped to its lowest level since the pandemic, with just half of the more than 2000 people surveyed saying they felt safe.

More than half backed boosting defence spending, amid pressure from the Trump administration for Australia to lift its budget to 3.5 per cent of gross domestic product.

Mr Albanese he wouldn’t “make grand declarations” on negotiations but vowed he would “put forward Australia’s interests respectfully” in the high-stakes talks.

“I expect that we will be able to have a constructive engagement,” he said.

“Obviously, we’ll raise tariffs, we’ll raise the importance, as well, of AUKUS, and we will have a discussion as two friends should.

“It is also in the interest of the United States for Australia to be treated appropriately.”

Although Mr Albanese remained “very confident” in AUKUS continuing after the Pentagon review to ensure it aligned with Mr Trump’s “America First” agenda — he said he would still promote its “range of benefits” for the US to the President.

That included promoting the pact’s strategic benefits, from support maintenance stops at Perth’s Henderson defence precinct, which extend submarine deployment time, to fuel reserve access in the Northern Territory.

Mr Albanese said it would improve the productivity of the US defence force while operating in the region.

“The infrastructure investment in Henderson will be important in increasing the capacity of US submarines, as well as UK submarines, to be in the water for longer,” he said.

Mr Albanese also noted that Australia had already invested $500m in the first phase of AUKUS Pillar One, as a step towards acquiring a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines.

After wrapping up events on the US West Coast, the PM was set to fly to Calgary, Alberta, late on Sunday, before travelling an hour west to Kananaskis in the Rocky Mountains to attend the G7 Leaders’ Summit.

The Prime Minister will also hold bilateral meetings with key global counterparts, including Canada’s newly-installed leader Mark Carney on Monday as well as the heads of Germany, the UK, Japan and South Korea.

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley on Sunday said the Coalition welcomed confirmation of the PM’s meeting, previously labelling it a “team Australia moment”.

“It’s in the interest of every Australian this meeting is a success,” Ms Ley said.

“We want the Prime Minister to do well. It’s important the PM gains a reassurance on AUKUS and protects Australia from tariffs.”

Foreign Minister Penny Wong also reiterated the benefits AUKUS to the US on Sunday through Australia’s industrial base and submarine capacity.

“It benefits the United States through our investment. They can build more submarines and we can continue to maintain submarines. There are near-term and medium-term benefits to the United States as well,” she told ABC Insiders.

“I’m sure the Prime Minister will be putting that if he has the opportunity to President Trump.”

Mr Albanese used an address at a Seattle tech event on Saturday as a warm up for his talks with Mr Trump, stressing to attendees the importance of Australia’s free trade ties with the US.

It was “important to recognise” that Australia runs a trade surplus with the US in both goods and services, he said, as he seeks an exemption from a 10 per cent baseline tariff, a 25 per cent levy on aluminium, and a 50 per cent tariff on steel imports.

“We bring a lot to the table. We will continue to advocate for free and fair trade, for the jobs it creates and the investment it drives,” Mr Albanese said.

“We have made it very clear that we want to continue to increase our trade with the United States, and we want constructive outcomes.

“One of the things that I will state privately as well as I state publicly, is that the United States has enjoyed a very long trade surplus with Australia.

“I’m sure that when I have the opportunity to have discussions with President Trump.”

The Lowy Institute poll shows Australians see China as more of an economic partner than an economic threat and eight in 10 Aussies disapprove of Mr Trump using tariffs to pressure other countries.

There had been concern Mr Albanese wouldn’t secure face-time with Mr Trump, with doubts over his attendance after Israel’s strikes on Iran heightened tensions in the Middle East.

The PM said the conflict would likely feature in his talks with Mr Trump and other leaders.

Australia isn’t a G7 member but is one of 16 invited countries, alongside others like India and Brazil, to broaden global discussions beyond the core group.

The G7 includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, the US and the EU.