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As Rudd scrubs Trump social media posts, Albanese to advocate free trade and climate action with president-elect Rudd scrubs Trump social media posts as Albanese calls with congratulations for president-elect
(about 1 hour later)
PM fully briefed on ‘potential outcomes’ of US election and says Australia is prepared for Trump’s policies on security, economic and other issuesPM fully briefed on ‘potential outcomes’ of US election and says Australia is prepared for Trump’s policies on security, economic and other issues
Australia will advocate for free trade and climate action – despite Donald Trump’s agenda against both – and persist with the Aukus alliance including nuclear submarine acquisition, the Albanese government has indicated.Australia will advocate for free trade and climate action – despite Donald Trump’s agenda against both – and persist with the Aukus alliance including nuclear submarine acquisition, the Albanese government has indicated.
On Thursday the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, and the foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, responded to Trump’s election victory by insisting the government is prepared to engaged with him as president, although Wong acknowledged he had campaigned on “change” and he may therefore do things “differently”. Under fire from conservative media about his comments in 2017 that Trump “scares the shit” out of him, the prime minster, Anthony Albanese, was asked if he owed an apology to the president-elect.
Under fire from conservative media about his comments in 2017 that Trump “scares the shit” out of him, Albanese was asked if he owed an apology to the president-elect.
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“No, I look forward to working with president Trump,” he told reporters in Canberra, indicating he would speak to Trump “soon”. “No, I look forward to working with president Trump,” he told reporters.
“I’ve demonstrated … my ability to work with world leaders and to develop relationships with them, which are positive … in the 2.5 years that I’ve had the honour of being prime minister.” Asked if it was a mistake to appoint Kevin Rudd as ambassador to the US after Rudd labelled Trump – in a now-deleted tweet – the most destructive president in US history, Albanese backed Rudd.
Asked if it was a mistake to appoint Kevin Rudd as ambassador to the US after he labelled Trump the most destructive president in US history, Albanese backed Rudd. He said Rudd was “doing a terrific job as Australia’s ambassador to the [US] and it says a lot about how important we regard the relationship with the [US] that we appointed a former prime minister”.
He said Rudd is “doing a terrific job as Australia’s ambassador to the [US] and it says a lot about how important we regard the relationship with the [US] that we appointed a former prime minister”. Rudd has since deleted the tweets. Albanese later confirmed in a post on X that he spoke with the president-elect on Thursday morning.
“Good to speak this morning with president Trump to personally congratulate him on his election victory,” he wrote. “We talked about the importance of the alliance and the strength of the Australia-US relationship in security, trade and investment.”
Good to speak this morning with President Trump to personally congratulate him on his election victory. We talked about the importance of the Alliance, and the strength of the Australia-US relationship in security, AUKUS, trade and investment. I look forward to working…
In Senate estimates on Thursday, a foreign affairs department official read a statement from Rudd’s private office account confirming the “past commentaries” had been removed from his personal website and social media channels “out of respect” for the office of president of the United States and following the election of Trump.In Senate estimates on Thursday, a foreign affairs department official read a statement from Rudd’s private office account confirming the “past commentaries” had been removed from his personal website and social media channels “out of respect” for the office of president of the United States and following the election of Trump.
“This has been done to eliminate the possibility of such comments being misconstrued as reflecting his positions as ambassador, and by extension, the views of the Australian government,” it said.“This has been done to eliminate the possibility of such comments being misconstrued as reflecting his positions as ambassador, and by extension, the views of the Australian government,” it said.
“Ambassador Rudd looks forward to working with President Trump and his team to continue strengthening the US-Australia alliance.”“Ambassador Rudd looks forward to working with President Trump and his team to continue strengthening the US-Australia alliance.”
Earlier, Wong told ABC Radio there is a “longstanding, strong bipartisan support for the alliance in both Australia and the United States” and the Labor government had been “preparing for the likelihood, or the possibility of a president Trump being re‑elected”. Earlier on Thursday Albanese, and the foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, said the government is prepared to engaged with Trump as president, although Wong acknowledged he had campaigned on “change” and may therefore do things “differently”.
On Trump’s campaign pledge to impose a universal tariff of between 10 and 20% on imports, Wong acknowledged that Trump had “run a campaign based on change” including the tariff hike. Wong told ABC Radio early on Thursday that there is a “longstanding, strong bipartisan support for the alliance in both Australia and the United States” and the Labor government had been “preparing for the likelihood, or the possibility of a president Trump being re‑elected”.
“He’s made it clear he’s going to do things differently so we shouldn’t be surprised if things change,” she said. On Trump’s campaign pledge to impose a universal tariff of between 10 and 20% on imports, Wong acknowledged that Trump had “run a campaign based on change” including the tariff hike, “so we shouldn’t be surprised if things change”.
“But equally, Australia should be confident in ourselves, in our place in the world and our ability to work together to deliver on our interests. We’ll certainly be doing that.”
Albanese said Australia had “given consideration to the potential outcomes” of the election and have been “prepared” for Trump’s policies with briefings on “security, economic and other issues”.Albanese said Australia had “given consideration to the potential outcomes” of the election and have been “prepared” for Trump’s policies with briefings on “security, economic and other issues”.
“But Australia is a supporter of trade. We’re a trading nation and we will continue to be advocates for free and fair trade, including through the Apec meeting that I’ll be attending … next week.”“But Australia is a supporter of trade. We’re a trading nation and we will continue to be advocates for free and fair trade, including through the Apec meeting that I’ll be attending … next week.”
Albanese said the G20 and other international forums “will overwhelmingly be focused on climate action, because the whole world is moving in this direction” because of environmental reasons and “because it makes good economic sense”.Albanese said the G20 and other international forums “will overwhelmingly be focused on climate action, because the whole world is moving in this direction” because of environmental reasons and “because it makes good economic sense”.
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The Albanese government has come under pressure from the Greens, former Labor senator Fatima Payman and Labor Against War to exit the Aukus alliance as a result of Trump’s election.The Albanese government has come under pressure from the Greens, former Labor senator Fatima Payman and Labor Against War to exit the Aukus alliance as a result of Trump’s election.
Mr President @realDonaldTrump please cancel the AUKUS agreement!Mr President @realDonaldTrump please cancel the AUKUS agreement!
Wong said that Australia wishes “to acquire submarines because we want a deterrent to enable peace … and it is an important part of making sure we maintain a peaceful, stable and prosperous region”.Wong said that Australia wishes “to acquire submarines because we want a deterrent to enable peace … and it is an important part of making sure we maintain a peaceful, stable and prosperous region”.
“The second point I’d make is there’s been strong bipartisan support for Aukus, particularly through the Congress, which you would have seen both with the passage of legislation and also in public comments,” she told ABC Radio.“The second point I’d make is there’s been strong bipartisan support for Aukus, particularly through the Congress, which you would have seen both with the passage of legislation and also in public comments,” she told ABC Radio.
“Finally, I again make the point, these submarines are a sovereign capability for Australia.”“Finally, I again make the point, these submarines are a sovereign capability for Australia.”
In Trump’s first term as president, the Turnbull government successfully negotiated an exemption for Australia to his tariffs on aluminium and steel and managed to salvage a refugee swap deal negotiated by President Barack Obama, despite Trump labelling it a “dumb deal”.In Trump’s first term as president, the Turnbull government successfully negotiated an exemption for Australia to his tariffs on aluminium and steel and managed to salvage a refugee swap deal negotiated by President Barack Obama, despite Trump labelling it a “dumb deal”.
On Thursday Turnbull told ABC Radio he had “a very successful relationship with Trump because I stood up to him, stood my ground, incurred his wrath, won his respect, and then got very good outcomes for Australia”.On Thursday Turnbull told ABC Radio he had “a very successful relationship with Trump because I stood up to him, stood my ground, incurred his wrath, won his respect, and then got very good outcomes for Australia”.
Turnbull warned he doesn’t think Australia will “ever” get any Virginia-class submarines from the US because the US is not producing enough even for themselves.Turnbull warned he doesn’t think Australia will “ever” get any Virginia-class submarines from the US because the US is not producing enough even for themselves.
“The [Aukus] deal that Morrison instigated and Albanese signed up to is a very, very asymmetrical deal, [and] all of the risk was on Australia.“The [Aukus] deal that Morrison instigated and Albanese signed up to is a very, very asymmetrical deal, [and] all of the risk was on Australia.
“We have no agency and no leverage over this, and that’s why I think the most likely outcome is we’ll end up with no submarines, and that will be entirely our own fault because we signed up to a dud deal.”“We have no agency and no leverage over this, and that’s why I think the most likely outcome is we’ll end up with no submarines, and that will be entirely our own fault because we signed up to a dud deal.”
Trump’s election has been welcomed in Australia particularly by conservatives, such as Nationals senator Matt Canavan and former Liberal prime minister, Tony Abbott.Trump’s election has been welcomed in Australia particularly by conservatives, such as Nationals senator Matt Canavan and former Liberal prime minister, Tony Abbott.