Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has condemned Donald Trump’s decision to impose 25% tariffs on Australian steel and aluminium as “entirely unjustified” and “not a friendly act”, after the US president rejected Australia’s plea for an exemption. The global tariff regime came into effect at midnight US time, with the White House confirming that no country had been granted a carve-out.
Speaking in Sydney on Wednesday, Albanese said the tariffs were “against the spirit of our two nations’ enduring friendship” and “fundamentally at odds with the benefit of our economic partnership”. He called the trade barriers “a form of economic self-harm” and stressed that Australia would not impose reciprocal tariffs, instead focusing on a “Buy Australian” campaign to promote local products.
The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, told Australian media that Trump had considered an exemption but decided against it, adding: “American-first steel. And if they want to be exempted, they should consider moving steel manufacturing here.” Deputy press secretary Kush Desai later confirmed the comprehensive nature of the tariffs.
Opposition leader Peter Dutton claimed the tariffs were a failure of Albanese’s leadership, saying “Australian jobs are at risk, and Australian industry is at risk”. He argued that a Coalition government would have a better chance of securing exemptions. However, former Liberal prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, who secured an exemption in 2018, disputed such characterisations, saying Albanese was “unlikely to succeed” in any case.
Australian officials, including Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Trade Minister Don Farrell, had lobbied Washington alongside ambassador Kevin Rudd, stressing Australia’s trade surplus with the US and its longstanding cooperation. Albanese said the government would continue to push for an exemption, noting that the previous exemption took months to secure.
