Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met US President Donald Trump at a welcome reception for world leaders in New York on Tuesday night, posting a selfie on Instagram with the caption: “Good to chat with President Donald Trump.” The meeting came hours after the White House confirmed a formal sit-down between the two leaders in Washington DC on 20 October.
The upcoming meeting will be Albanese’s third visit to the US in six months. Discussions are expected to cover the Aukus nuclear submarine deal, Trump’s demand for Australia to increase defence spending to 3.5% of GDP, and US trade tariffs. Albanese had initially been left off the president’s schedule in New York this week.
During the reception, Albanese was accompanied by his partner Jodie Haydon. Earlier, Trump used his address to the UN General Assembly to dismiss moves by allies including Australia to recognise Palestinian statehood, instead demanding the return of hostages taken by Hamas. He also blasted international climate efforts as a “scam” and mocked carbon footprint measurements as a “hoax.”
Albanese described it as a “great privilege” to hear Trump’s views at the UN. Trump’s 57-minute speech also criticised migration policies, claiming some UK arrivals sought sharia law, and questioned the UN’s effectiveness. The US president made no mention of the formal meeting with Albanese during his address.
