Anthony Albanese says US tariffs from Donald Trump ‘won’t really have an impact’ on Australia

Anthony Albanese says America’s “Liberation Day” tariffs will have little impact on Australia and people should keep in mind this is an act of “economic self-harm” by the Trump Administration.

Australian exports to the United States will be hit with a 10 per cent impost on July 9 when the tariffs come into effect after a 90-day pause ends.

But every indication is that 10 per cent is US President Donald Trump’s base rate, and no one will be able to negotiate something lower.

The Prime Minister said Australia’s beef exports to the US were up despite the Trump Administration’s tough talk, but steel and aluminium had taken a slight hit since they had a 25 per cent tariff, which Mr Trump subsequently increased to 50 per cent.

“We are in a position where on July 9, that won’t really have an impact on us, because that’s about other countries who have higher rates overnight,” he said on Friday.

“We continue to be engaged with our American friends, but they have a different position on tariffs. I have said that’s an act of economic self-harm. I stick to that.”

The UK is still lumped with a 10 per cent overall tariff, although it got a reprieve from the doubling of tariffs in steel and aluminium, despite striking a trade deal with the US early on in Mr Trump’s pause period.

Vietnam also reached a trade deal with the US this week, but its exports will still face a 20 per cent tariff.

Mr Albanese said the US President’s decisions had been consistent with all his public comments.

“He has also said that there’s no more beautiful word in the English language than ‘tariff’... That wouldn’t be in my top million of words,” Mr Albanese said.

The Prime Minister is still seeking his first face-to-face meeting with Mr Trump and is now flagging that it’s likely to happen at one of the international summits the pair are scheduled to both attend later in the year.

He defended Kevin Rudd’s position as ambassador to the US, saying no one in the Trump Administration had anything but positive comments about the former prime minister.

“No American political person would talk down the US ambassador to Australia. I’ll make that point,” he said.

The Trump Administration is yet to nominate a new ambassador to send to Canberra. In Mr Trump’s first term, it took him two years to fill the key position despite the close alliance between the two countries.