Overview

• Albanese has not secured an in-person meeting with President Trump at the G7 summit in Kananaskis, with senior Australian sources saying no final confirmation is in place
• The Australian government’s Magnitsky-style sanctions on far-right Israeli ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich drew criticism from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio
• The Pentagon has begun reviewing the AUKUS defence agreement to ensure it aligns with President Trump’s America First agenda
• The US maintains 10% tariffs on Australian goods and 50% duties on steel and aluminium, prompting Canberra to consider offering critical minerals reserves in exchange for exemptions
• Australia has resisted US calls to lift defence spending to 3.5% of GDP and instead plans to raise it to 2.5% by 2029/30 while strengthening security partnerships in the Pacific