Overview

• Albanese was left off Trump’s official UNGA bilateral schedule but briefly greeted the president at a leaders’ reception and posted a selfie.
• The Washington talks are expected to address the AUKUS submarine partnership, U.S. steel and aluminium tariffs, and expectations for higher Australian defence outlays.
• A Pentagon review of AUKUS led by Under Secretary of Defense Elbridge Colby is due in the northern autumn, injecting uncertainty over timelines and scope.
• Australia’s recognition of Palestinian statehood and Trump’s UN criticism of such moves, along with his attacks on climate policy, highlight policy rifts heading into the meeting.
• Canberra has paid about $1 billion to help expand U.S. submarine shipyards and announced an extra A$12 billion to upgrade a Western Australia maintenance yard tied to AUKUS.