Anthony Albanese has crisis phone call with Donald Trump – and reveals what was said about bombshell steel tariff

US President Donald Trump has agreed to consider not slapping Australia with a 25 per cent tariff on steel and aluminium imports, Anthony Albanese says.  

‘I presented Australia’s case for an exemption, and we agreed on wording to say publicly, which is that the US President agreed that an exemption was under consideration for in the interests of both of our countries,’ the Prime Minister said in a press conference on Tuesday morning.

He said he also spoke to Trump about about critical minerals and Australia as a source of investment capital.

‘We essentially have the periodic table under our feet in this country, and that’s a big plus for Australia going forward, and we are very conscious of the fact that the United States is aware of what we can deliver when it comes to critical minerals,’ he said.

‘Our aluminium is a critical input for manufacturing in the United States. Our steel and aluminium are key inputs for the US-Australia defence industries in both of our countries.’ 

The Prime Minister said he was confident a deal could be made with Trump to secure an exemption.

‘If you have a look at what we’ve achieved already, it’s been a tremendous start to the relationship,’ Albanese said.

‘Penny Wong being invited to the inauguration. Richard Marles sitting down with the secretary of defence, Pete Hegseth, just on the weekend.’

Earlier, Mr Albanese posted on X: ‘This morning I had a great conversation with President Donald Trump.

‘We committed to working constructively together to advance Australian and American interests, drive economic prosperity and face shared challenges.

‘For decades, the alliance between the United States and Australia has served the interests of both our nations, and supported peace, stability and growth in our region. 

‘I look forward to working closely with President Trump to create jobs and deliver benefits for both our nations.’

Trump announced the tariffs on imported metal would broadly apply without exemptions, during a media conference aboard Air Force One as he was flying to the Super Bowl in New Orleans. 

‘Any steel coming into the United States is going to have a 25 per cent tariff,’ he told reporters on Monday.

A tariff on Australian goods would be a ‘slap in the face’ for domestic industry and the US-Australian alliance, Australia Industry Group chief executive Innes Willox said.

‘It is now up to the federal government to quickly step in and protect Australian industry and producers from being caught up in a rapidly escalating global trade war,’ he said on Monday.

In 2018, Australia was granted an exemption from 25 per cent American tariffs on steel and 10 per cent import taxes on aluminum after then prime minister Malcolm Turnbull pointed out the US had trade surpluses with Australia – where Aussies bought more goods and services from Americans than they bought from us.