Photo courtesy of Anadolu
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese urged US President Donald Trump to exempt Australia from Washington’s latest tariffs, arguing that the long-standing alliance and strong trade ties between the two countries warranted special consideration.
Albanese said he raised the request during a roughly 40-minute phone call with Trump on Friday, which Australian broadcaster ABC News described as productive and substantial.
The Australian leader asked Trump to consider removing the 12.5 percent US tariff imposed in July or, at minimum, restore the previous 10 percent rate.
Canberra had challenged Washington’s justification for the higher tariff, which was linked to concerns over forced labor in supply chains. The Australian government maintained that there was no credible evidence supporting the measure.
Albanese also pointed to Australia’s policies against modern slavery and highlighted the broader economic relationship between Canberra and Washington.
He told Trump that the United States had recorded a trade surplus of about $442 billion with Australia over the past 20 years, presenting the figure as part of his case for an exemption.
Beyond tariffs, the two leaders also discussed cooperation on critical minerals, artificial intelligence and the AUKUS security partnership, according to Albanese.
The prime minister said Trump agreed to consider the request, while stressing that Australia continued to view its decades-old alliance with the United States as a central part of its economic and security relationship. (Anadolu)