Anthony Albanese has confirmed he’s spoken to US President Donald Trump in his first press conference following Labor’s emphatic election win.
The Prime Minister described the chat, which occurred at The Lodge shortly before the press conference, as “warm” and “generous,” and thanked Mr Trump for reaching out.
Mr Albanese revealed they spoke about AUKUS and tariffs, and said the pair would continue to engage, while also hinting at a “face-to-face” meeting at “some time in the future”.
“It was a very warm discussion about the friendship between our two nations that’s so important,” he told reporters from Parliament House on Monday.
“I won’t go into all of the personal comments that he made but it was very generous in his personal warmth and praise towards myself. He was fully aware of the outcome and he expressed the desire to continue to work with me in the future.”
Although he said he had accepted an invitation from the newly elected Canadian prime minister Mark Carney to attend the G7 Summit in June, he declined to say whether he would visit Mr Trump any sooner.
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“We’ll wait and see. We’ll make appropriate announcements. My first international visit will be just like last time… to Indonesia,” he said.
“That was something that President Prabowo and I had discussed before. It’s something I intend to do.
“Our region is so important. The relationships that we have built are so important.”
Mr Albanese added that he had spoken to a number of world leaders, including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Zelensky, as well as past leaders like former UK prime minister Tony Blair, former New Zealand leader Jacinda Ardern and former Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi.
Cabinet mum on cabinet reshuffle
While he declined to give further details of a front bench reshuffle, he said his initial focus focusing his re-election would on receiving critical briefings from prime minister and cabinet.
Speaking on the future of his front bench, he said they were matter for himself and the caucus.
“I look forward to engaging, going to try to slow the pace a little bit. Over coming days, I will consult with colleagues about forming a – a frontbench down the track,” he said.
Mr Albanese also promised to “be a prime minister for all Australians” regardless of their political opinions, and said they were “deeply humbled” by Saturday’s landslide victory.
“I sought from that first day, indeed, I became Labor leader, back in 2019, I want Labor to be the natural party of government,” he said.
“I think given who we are, representing working people, but also effectively engaging with business and engaging with civil society, that we can make what is the best country on earth even better in the future.”
Mr Albanese confirmed he had spoken to UK Prime Minister Kier Starmer, the Indonesia
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