Penny Wong says Australia should be ‘realistic’ about Trump’s ‘America first’ agenda
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Australia should prepare for incoming president to make changes to US’s direction and focus on his domestic interests, foreign minister says. The Albanese government has congratulated Donald Trump on his inauguration as US president, but said Australia should be “realistic” about his pledge to implement an “America first” agenda.
Shortly after attending the inauguration in Washington, the foreign minister also sidestepped questions on what Trump’s sweeping and controversial policy platform on trade and social issues could mean for Australia and the work of its diplomats in America.
Penny Wong said she would seek to highlight Australia’s positive contribution to the US economy, but warned that Australia should prepare for Trump to make changes to America’s direction and focus on his domestic interests. “President Trump has made it very clear he’s going to do things differently. He’s made it clear he’s going to implement an America first agenda. And we should, I think, be realistic about that,” she told ABC Radio National.
In social media posts, she praised the US as “Australia’s closest ally” and said she looked forward to “working together with the new Administration to deliver on our shared interests”. Anthony Albanese shared a message of congratulations to Trump, tagging his official account on X, the platform owned by Trump ally and billionaire Elon Musk.
