Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is hoping to meet US President Donald Trump next week, after earlier attempts to secure a bilateral meeting were thwarted when Trump abruptly left the G7 summit in June.
Documents obtained by Guardian Australia under freedom of information reveal the lengths Australian officials went to in trying to arrange a one-on-one meeting between Albanese and Trump in Canada. The meeting was confirmed just five days beforehand, on 13 June, but Trump departed early on 17 June to deal with escalating conflict between Israel and Iran.
The 103 pages of government communications, heavily redacted under exemptions for foreign government confidentiality, show the uncertainty and last-minute nature of the scheduling. A text from a senior Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Dfat) official on 13 June read: 'some good news. Meeting now confirmed.' Another added: 'really pleased with getting meeting confirmed.'
The documents also reveal that a Dfat assistant secretary noted on 12 June that the White House had decided to agree to a meeting but did not yet know the precise time. Later that day, deputy head of Australia's embassy in Washington, Jason Robertson, emailed saying Trump's travel to Canada was 'still on' and officials were 'still working on bilateral meetings.'
After Trump's departure, Dfat circulated talking points stating Australia understood why Trump left early, and that the two leaders had spoken three times by phone in 'very constructive conversations.' The prime minister himself has downplayed the significance of the failed meeting, saying last week that 'in the real world, no one cares' when he meets Trump.
