Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confident of securing a meeting with US President Donald Trump

A late-September meeting between Anthony Albanese and Donald Trump could coincide with Australia’s next $800 million payment to help the US boost its submarine-building capacity.

The Prime Minister appeared more confident on Friday of securing an overdue meeting with Mr Trump after the White House confirmed the US President would also address the United Nations next month.

The pair were supposed to meet in Canada in June but the President cancelled at the last minute to direct a US strike on Iran’s nuclear program.

Since then the Government has been trying to secure another meeting with an unpredictable administration while also downplaying the growing tensions in the relationship.

Mr Albanese will address the UN General Assembly in late September in New York and the White House confirmed overnight that Mr Trump would do the same.

“The President will travel to New York City on September 22nd to address the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, September 23rd,” White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said.

Mr Trump is expected to travel to London the week before.

“I’ll be with President Trump in the US next month … in New York and potentially other places as well,” Mr Albanese said on Friday.

“But we also have ASEAN, which is in Malaysia, we have APEC, which is in Korea. We have the G20 which is in South Africa and we have the Quad leaders meeting on security that is supposed to be in India.

“But, of course, there are issues between India and the United States at the moment as well.

“So we’ll continue to engage constructively.”

The groundwork for a leaders’ meeting continues to be laid through multiple avenues.

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles made a swift trip to Washington this week, where he met Vice-President JD Vance, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, deputy White House chief of staff Stephen Miller and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Confusion surrounded the encounter with Mr Hegseth – the originally stated purpose of the visit – after the Pentagon initially said they had met by “happenstance” before backtracking and saying it had been planned in advance.

Mr Albanese dismissed the scrutiny of his deputy’s dash to DC as “rather bizarre”.

“He went to the United States, he met the Vice President, he met the Defence Secretary, he met senior people in the Trump administration. And that’s a good thing,” he said.

“And then he came home. That’s a good thing.”

He insisted he didn’t know whether the topic of his meeting Mr Trump was raised during Mr Marles’ discussions and said, “That’s not the reason why he goes.”

Australia is grappling with mounting tensions in the typically steadfast relationship with the United States.

The Pentagon is examining the AUKUS defence pact in a review first slated to take 30 days but that timeline has since been extended to later this year.

It’s happily taken two cheques from Australia this year totalling $1.6 billion to bolster its submarine-building base but the Trump Administration continues to lean on Canberra – and most American allies – to significantly increase their defence spending.

Australia will make another two $800 million contributions towards building the Virginia-class submarines before the end of the year, and a further $1.5 billion in future years.

Mr Marles is said to have a good rapport with Mr Hegseth, and is able to speak with him regularly and message informally to build on the two formal meetings they’ve had previously since January.

Trade Minister Don Farrell similarly has a warm relationship with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.

Senator Farrell has just invited the American to visit his family vineyard in South Australia’s Clare Valley to further strengthen the bonds.

Mr Albanese had a close relationship with Joe Biden and enjoys similarly warm and informal engagements with other leaders such as UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, but has so far only had official phone conversations with the current occupant of the Oval Office.

Republican congressman Jason Smith spent several days in Canberra this week where he met Mr Albanese and Senator Farrell along with other ministers, and was feted as he attended question time on Thursday.

“He’s someone who’s very close to President Trump. I put our case again, as we continue to do so,” Mr Albanese said on Friday of their meeting.