The date was locked. The time was set. Anthony Albanese’s long-awaited meeting with Donald Trump was officially confirmed for 10am Wednesday, Australian time.
Just hours ago, the prime minister appeared upbeat, telling reporters on the sidelines of the G7 in Canada that he would once again extend an invitation for Trump to visit Australia.
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But minutes after Albanese’s press conference wrapped up, reality struck. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt popped up on X to announce that Trump was leaving the G7 early.
“President Trump had a great day at the G7, even signing a major trade deal with the United Kingdom and Prime Minister Keir Starmer,” she wrote.