Speculation is rife regarding Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s potential meeting with former US President Donald Trump during his visit to the US this week. During an interview on Today, Albanese was noncommittal, stating, "we’ll wait and see" when questioned about a guaranteed meeting with Trump.
Albanese acknowledged the busy nature of his agenda and mentioned, "I’ll be seeing (Trump) tomorrow night at the event that he is hosting that I’ve been invited to." He expressed optimism about their future interaction, indicating they would eventually sit down for a direct conversation, highlighting that his opening line would simply be "pleased to meet you," which he believed would be reciprocated.
The Prime Minister elaborated on his diplomatic approach, stating, "I engage in the same way that I engage with you from time to time… that’s how Australians relate to others, whether they be on the street or world leaders." This reflects his belief in a friendly, open dialogue while still asserting Australia’s national interests.
Intriguingly, last week, Trump insinuated a potential meeting with Albanese during a confrontation with an ABC reporter. He criticized the journalist’s questions about his past business dealings, implying that they were detrimental to Australia. Trump noted, "The Australians. You’re hurting Australia, right? In my opinion, you are hurting Australia very much right now," asserting that Albanese wanted to maintain a good relationship with him.
Despite having held several phone calls with Trump, which have been described positively by the former president, their only planned in-person meeting at the G7 summit last June was cancelled when Trump left the conference prematurely to return to the White House.
Overall, while Albanese is poised to attend Trump’s event, the specifics of a direct meeting remain uncertain. The interaction will be closely watched, particularly given the heightened expectations surrounding Trump’s remarks and the broader implications for Australia-US relations.