Even given the close relationship between the two countries, there had been minor fears of a Zelenskyy-style ambush on Albanese’s first White House meeting with Trump, which was shifted from the Oval Office to the cabinet room at late notice.

Concerns quickly dissipated as Trump expressed his affection for Australia and praised Albanese as “highly respected” and “very popular.”

When asked to compare his rapport with Albanese to that with former leaders Scott Morrison and Malcolm Turnbull, Trump said, “I think he’s doing a really good job, and we’ve had a very good relationship.”

Albanese humorously remarked that he might use Trump’s compliment in his 2028 re-election campaign ads.

“We have stood side by side for freedom and democracy.”

There was an awkward moment when Trump was asked by a reporter whether ambassador to Washington Kevin Rudd’s criticisms of him in the past had played into the long wait for an in-person meeting with Albanese.

When Albanese pointed out the former Labor leader sitting across from Trump at the cabinet table, Trump asked Rudd if he “said bad”, to which Rudd replied, “before I took this position, Mr President”.

One of Canberra’s leading concerns heading into the meeting was the status of AUKUS, a defence agreement with the US and UK under which Australia will acquire nuclear-powered submarines.

There were concerns the Pentagon would torpedo the pact when a review headed by known AUKUS sceptic Elbridge Colby, Trump’s undersecretary for war policy, was launched in June. 

On Monday, he said the process was moving along “very rapidly, very well”.

Secretary of the Navy John Phelan said all three parties were working to “clarify some of the ambiguity” that was in the original AUKUS deal, in what he said “should be a win-win for everybody”.

Asked if he would consider expediting the delivery of the submarines, Trump said, “we are doing that”.

“Australia pays among the lowest tariffs.”

Critical minerals deal signed

The deal itself says that money is for financing projects both in Australia and the US and outlines extremely broad plans to accelerate free and fair markets to develop “resilience and security of critical minerals and rare earths supply chains”.

China is the world’s largest producer of rare earth elements, with 61 per cent of mined rare earth production, according to the International Energy Agency, and 92 per cent of the global output in the processing stage.

Both the US and Europe have sought to reduce their dependence on Beijing. According to Geoscience Australia, Australia has among the largest deposits in the world of several of the 17 critical elements, but they can be difficult and costly to mine and process.

Trump threatened Beijing with even more tariffs if it manipulated the global market for rare earths, while also saying China had treated the US with “great respect” and boasting of a good relationship with President Xi Jinping.