5m agoMon 20 Oct 2025 at 4:24pm
Trump calls Australian journalist ‘nasty guy’
Australian journalists are getting a taste of what its like to go toe-to-toe with Donald Trump.
He has been quick to hit back at a couple for their line of questioning:
“You’ve been reading the wrong newspapers …”
“If you knew anything you were talking about …”
Trump asked one Australian journalist who he worked for – the reporter responded that he was working for the Sydney Morning Herald.
Trump called him a “nasty guy” but allowed him to ask the question.
While this is rare access for the Aussies, this is just another day for the president.
9m agoMon 20 Oct 2025 at 4:20pmAlbanese invites Trump to Australia
Donald Trump has been asked if he plans to visit Australia.
Trump said he has been invited “today” by Albanese, and that he’s giving the offer serious consideration.
14m agoMon 20 Oct 2025 at 4:15pmTrump tells Rudd ‘I don’t like you … I probably never will’
Well, that was awkward.
It didn’t take long for a reporter to bring up comments made by Australia’s Ambassador to the US, Kevin Rudd.
Riley’s earlier post details those criticisms that he made before taking the prestigious Washington job.
After being questioned, Trump claimed that he doesn’t know anything about Rudd but added “if he said bad (things) maybe he’d like to apologise”.
He asked Albanese about what he had said but then quickly changed his mind.
“Don’t tell me I don’t want to know,” Trump said.
The Australian delegation awkwardly laughed.
He then asked if he is still the Ambassador. Rudd is sitting on the other side of the table facing the president.
Rudd tried to clarify and started speaking, saying the comments were made “before this position…” before Trump interrupted him and said:
“I don’t like you either, and I probably never will.”
Next question…
32m agoMon 20 Oct 2025 at 3:57pmBREAKING: Rare earths deal signed
The US and Australia have signed a rare earths and critical minerals deal.
Trump and Albanese signed the documents in front of the media.
We don’t know the details of the deal, but will bring you all the information as it comes to hand.
32m agoMon 20 Oct 2025 at 3:57pm
‘Great friends and great allies’
Anthony Albanese has spoken glowingly about the Australia-US friendship sitting alongside the US president.
Albanese said the relationship had been “forged in the battlefields of the world, standing side-by-side for freedom and democracy.”
He said the two countries were “great friends and great allies.”
He congratulated Trump on his work in the Middle East, describing it as “an extraordinary achievement.”
Anthony Albanese and Donald Trump at the White House. (Reuters)
36m agoMon 20 Oct 2025 at 3:53pm
Trump welcomes Albo
It’s been a very friendly start to the meeting between Trump and Albo. They are sitting next to one another in the cabinet room.
The president seemed surprised by how many journalists were in the room and said that the US has a lot of friends in Australia adding “this is one of them right here”.
He praised the prime minister for doing a “fantastic job” and said “I hear you’re very popular today”.
Trump said they intend to discuss trade, submarines, military equipment and importantly critical minerals and rare earths.
In fact they have been negotiating an agreement for 4-5 months on critical minerals and rare earths which they will sign together.
“In a year from now we’ll have so much (critical minerals) … you won’t know what to do with them,” Trump said.
In finishing his opening remarks he pointed out the two countries are long time allies and it’s a “great honour to have you in the United States”.
54m agoMon 20 Oct 2025 at 3:35pm
First pics of Albanese arriving at White House
(Reuters)
(Reuters)
(Reuters)59m agoMon 20 Oct 2025 at 3:30pm’We love them!’
It looked like a warm handshake between Albanese and Trump.
The president wheeled out one of his go-to lines when asked by a reporter what his message was for the people of Australia.
“We love them!” he shouted back.
He’s said that about several countries when asked that same question during these visits by foreign leaders to the White House.
He also said that the two intend to get “a lot” done today.
1h agoMon 20 Oct 2025 at 3:21pmBREAKING: Albanese arrives at the White House
Anthony Albanese has arrived at the White House where he was welcome by Donald Trump.
We’ll bring you the pictures shortly.
1h agoMon 20 Oct 2025 at 3:20pm
Itinerary for today
Ben has asked:
What time does this start and how long will it go for, also how much of the discussions will be public?
At the weekend, the White House released some timings for the meeting between the Australian PM and US President.
11am local time (2am AEDT Tuesday): Donald Trump greets Anthony Albanese at the White House.11.15am local time (2.15am AEDT Tuesday): Both leaders participate in a bilateral meeting in the Cabinet Room (it was going to be in the Oval Office, as per the picture below, but that was changed shortly before Mr Albanese arrived) .11.45am local time (2.45am AEDT Tuesday): Bilateral lunch in the cabinet room.
Albanese is yet to arrive, so the plan is already behind schedule, but that’s not surprising for these events.
As we know, Trump loves a TV camera, so it’s expected that at least some of today’s proceedings will be broadcast.
We’ll bring you all the latest as it happens.
(Supplied: White House)
1h agoMon 20 Oct 2025 at 3:15pm
There’s always a Tweet
I told you I was going to talk more about the fact Australia’s Ambassador to the US, Kevin Rudd, is expected to join today’s meeting.
It’s the norm for ambassadors to be involved in events like this. But if Mr Rudd is there, it could be vaguely awkward for the former Australian PM.
That’s because of some old social media posts. Let me catch you up.
Several posts on Mr Rudd’s official X (formerly Twitter) account criticising Donald Trump were deleted in November last year after the US presidential election results became clear.
In one particularly scathing post from 2020, Mr Rudd described Mr Trump as “the most destructive president in history”.
“He drags America and democracy through the mud. He thrives on fomenting, not healing, division. He abuses Christianity, church and bible to justify violence.”
In another, he described Mr Trump as “a traitor to the West”.
On top of all that, back in November last year, a video of Mr Rudd describing Mr Trump as “a village idiot” several years ago surfaced in the media.
It’s not ideal, although it has to be said: Mr Rudd is not the first world leader or foreign official to be caught out for their previous criticisms of Mr Trump. He’s also not been the last.
However, Mr Rudd’s posts have been clocked by the White House.
Dan Scarvino, a key aide to the president, posted this cryptic message on social media after Mr Trump’s victory back in November.
It appeared to suggest Mr Rudd’s time in Washington DC was limited. While it’s true Australia’s ambassadors need to be approved by whichever country is hosting them, it would be an enormous break from tradition for someone with Mr Rudd’s CV to be expelled, or for the Australian government to recall him over something like this.
Anyway, it all sort of went away back in November. Until I just dredged it up now.
1h agoMon 20 Oct 2025 at 3:05pm
A lot of rare earth conversation expected, says key Trump advisor
The National Economic Council (NEC) director Kevin Hassett spoke to media near the White House this morning, ahead of Anthony Albanese’s arrival.
“Australia is really, really going to be helpful in the effort to take the global economy and make it less risky, less exposed to the kind of rare earth (minerals) extortion that we’re seeing from the Chinese,” he said.
“[Australia is] One of the best mining economies on earth and the smartest and most capable refiners are in Australia and they’ve got lots and lots of rare earths.
“I think there’ll be a lot of conversation about that matter today.”
For context, the NEC reports to the president and advises the US government on economic matters.
NEC director Kevin Hassett. (Reuters: Brian Snyder)
1h agoMon 20 Oct 2025 at 2:51pm
Analysis: Timing of meeting ‘could hardly be better’
The ABC’s national affairs correspondent Jane Norman says the timing of today’s meeting, some 11 months in to Albanese’s prime ministership, couldn’t be better.
“Just over a week ago, China rocked its fragile trade truce with the White House when it tightened its already vice-like grip on the global supply of the elements needed to build everything from batteries, cars and missiles, to the magnets Trump so often talks about.
“Australia has these critical minerals and rare earths in abundant supply and can dig them out of the ground, but what it is lacking is the capital to take the next step and process these minerals, to ultimately challenge China’s near-total dominance of the sector.”
But it isn’t just rare minerals that will likely feature on the meeting agenda.
There’s also AUKUS, security, trade and tariffs to discuss.
Read Jane’s analysis here.
1h agoMon 20 Oct 2025 at 2:40pm
Some snaps from Sunday night
The PM’s plane touched down at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland around 10:30pm Sunday, local time.
It’s about a half hour’s drive from the White House.
He was greeted by a familiar face and long-time Labor colleague: Australia’s Ambassaor to the US, Kevin Rudd.
Anthony Albanese arrives in the US on Sunday evening. (AAP: Lukas Coch)
Mr Albanese held multiple front-bench positions after Mr Rudd swept to power at Australia’s 2007 federal election.
Mr Albanese was also deputy prime minister for a brief period when Mr Rudd returned to Australia’s top office between June and September 2013.
Mr Rudd is expected to be at today’s meeting, and I’m going to talk more about why that’s interesting later.
Kevin Rudd (left), greets Anthony Albanese. (AAP: Lukas Coch)2h agoMon 20 Oct 2025 at 1:50pmGood morning from Washington DC
If you’re in Australia and reading this post, thanks for staying up!
It’s going to be a big day here in Washington.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is in town and is scheduled to meet US President Donald Trump this morning, local time.
This chat is taking place amid a complex and, let’s be honest, violent geopolitical backdrop.
It’s also significant because it’s the first substantial in-person meeting between the two leaders since President Trump returned to the White House in February.
They have spoken on the phone, however, and also snapped a pic together when they bumped into each other at the United Nations in New York last month.
I’ve covered a few of these White House chats before, and they can be really unpredictable.
My colleague Patrick Martin and I will be guiding you through today’s developments here. Strap yourselves in!