Dutton’s MAGA dilemma
Trump’s tariff threats are forcing some global conservative leaders to find rare bipartisan unity with domestic opponents. Can Peter Dutton navigate the Trump effect?
Reading this week’s Australian political headlines, you could be forgiven for thinking Donald Trump’s tariff threats were solely Anthony Albanese’s problem, with his government forced to respond to the president’s near-hourly thought bubbles.
But Trump’s aggressive stance towards US allies isn’t just a test for Labor — it’s also forcing centre-right leaders, including Peter Dutton, into an unfamiliar corner: bipartisanship.
So far, Dutton has walked a careful line on the tariff threats, backing Albanese’s push for an exemption while questioning his ability to secure one.
“I think [the tariffs] damage the relationship if they stay in place now,” Dutton said on Friday.
