Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s planned face-to-face meeting with former US President Donald Trump has been cancelled due to Trump’s early departure from the G7 summit in Canada. The White House spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, announced that Trump would be leaving the summit following a dinner with heads of state, citing developments in the Middle East as the cause for his premature exit.
At the summit, Trump had a productive day, notably signing a significant trade agreement with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. While Albanese had hoped to engage Trump on critical topics such as the ongoing review of the AUKUS security pact and tariffs affecting Australian steel and aluminium, the revised schedule has rendered this impossible. Trump has also previously expressed frustration over the limited entry of US beef into the Australian market.
In addition to Trump, Albanese had a roster of meetings with various foreign leaders at the G7, although Trump’s engagement had garnered the most attention. The Prime Minister’s office has been contacted for comments regarding the cancellation.
Albanese had anticipated a robust discussion focusing on bilateral relations between Australia and the US, emphasising collaborations on defence spending and geopolitical matters. Despite the setback with Trump, Albanese has successfully held discussions with other key figures, including Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung. He remains optimistic about future engagements at the summit.
As events unfold, Albanese is committed to advancing Australia’s interests and furthering international cooperation, with several additional meetings on the horizon during the summit.