Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese gestures throughout a press convention in Sydney, on Wednesday, March 12, 2025.
Dean Lewins/AP
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Dean Lewins/AP
MELBOURNE, Australia — Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated Wednesday that U.S. tariffs on Australian metal and aluminum have been unjustified, however his authorities wouldn’t retaliate with its personal tariffs.
U.S. President Donald Trump stated final month he was contemplating a tariff exemption for Australia, a free commerce treaty accomplice that has traded with the USA at a deficit for many years.
A former Australian authorities secured an exemption with the earlier Trump administration in 2018 primarily based on arguments together with that Australian steelmaker BlueScope employs hundreds of employees within the U.S.
Albanese stated he would proceed to pursue an Australian exemption. The 2018 exemption took a number of months to safe.
“It has been foreshadowed that no country regardless of its relationship with the United States has been granted an exemption. Such a decision by the Trump administration is entirely unjustified,” Albanese stated.
“Tariffs and escalating trade tensions are a form of economic self-harm and a recipe for slower growth and higher inflation. They are paid by the consumers. This is why Australia will not be imposing reciprocal tariffs on the United States,” Albanese added.
The U.S. formally elevated tariffs on all metal and aluminum imports to 25% on Wednesday.
The U.S. determination to not exempt Australia was introduced days after a spat turned public between Trump and the previous Australian prime minister who secured the 2018 exemption, Malcolm Turnbull.
Trump described Turnbull, who stop politics in 2018 after being overthrown as prime minister by his personal authorities, as a weak and ineffective chief.
“Malcolm Turnbull, the former Prime Minister of Australia who was always leading that wonderful country from ‘behind’, never understood what was going on in China, nor did he have the capacity to do so,” Trump wrote on social media.
“I always thought he was a weak and ineffective leader and, obviously, Australian’s (sic) agreed with me!!!” Trump added.
Trump was responding to an interview Turnbull gave this week to U.S. media firm Bloomberg by which the previous Australian chief stated Chinese language President Xi Jinping would make the most of the U.S. president’s chaotic and erratic management.
“I think China will take advantage, massive advantage of Trump,” Turnbull instructed Bloomberg.
“What my prediction will be that President Xi will aim to be the exact opposite of Trump. Where Trump is chaotic, he will be consistent. Where Trump is rude and abusive, he’ll be respectful. Where Trump is erratic, he will be consistent,” Turnbull stated.
“And what that will do is build trust with countries, and there’ll be many countries who will, you know, looking at China on the one hand and Trump on the other, will find China a more attractive partner,” Turnbull added.
