Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said President Donald Trump’s refusal to exempt Australia from aluminium and steel tariffs goes against the “spirit of our two nations’ enduring friendship” but also promised no retaliation.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the decision on March 12. The Epoch Times has contacted the White House for comment.
Albanese said the Australian government would continue to push for an exemption, but noted this could take months.
“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. Such a course of action would only push up prices for Australian consumers and increase inflation,” Albanese told reporters.
“We will continue to engage constructively with the United States and to make the case for Australian trade and the benefits that it gives to people in the United States of America.”
Trump’s tariffs on steel and aluminium imports into the United States are set to come into force on March 12 (Washington time) following Trump’s proclamation on Feb. 10.
In terms of Australia’s overall exports, steel and aluminium to the United States (about $1 billion) represents just 0.2 percent of the country’s export value, and is outside the top 10 Australian products exported to America.
‘Against the Spirit’ of US-Australia Ties
The prime minister also called the decision “concerning.”“It has been foreshadowed that no country regardless of its relationship with the United States has been granted an exemption,” he said.
He said the decision by the Trump administration was “entirely unjustified.”
“This is against the spirit of our two nations’ enduring friendship and fundamentally at odds with the benefits of that economic partnership that has delivered over more than 70 years,” Albanese said.
“Australia has no tariffs on goods from the United States and, of course, we have an agreement with the United States.”
Albanese said the government would advocate for Australian trade with the United States at every level and through every channel.
“Our government will continue to put forward a very strong case for an exemption, noting that the last time this occurred it took months for that exemption to be granted,” he said.
“Australia will continue to work hard for different outcomes, and discussions with the Trump administration are ongoing. Our government is prepared and has been engaging directly with the Australian steel and aluminium industry and we will continue to work through this with them.”
Further, the prime minister said Australia would continue to diversify markets for its products in demand globally.
“All Australians of course can join this effort and support our industries by taking the opportunity to buy Australian, and the March budget will provide additional support for our buy Australian campaign, which we will be announcing as part of that budget process,” Albanese added.
Dutton Urged Albanese For Action
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has recently called on the prime minister to “pick up the phone” and make a deal with the U.S. president on tariffs.He that it would be “unjust” for the tariffs to be applied because Australia has a trading surplus with the United States.
Dutton also said there was no sense in the prime minister saying that he is “scared of Donald Trump.”
Threat to US National Security
In Trump’s first term, Australia was able to negotiate an exemption to similar tariffs.In a proclamation signed on Feb. 10, Trump expressed concern that alternative trade agreements on steel imports with multiple countries, including Australia, haven’t been as successful in protecting U.S. national security as originally intended.
“As a result, imports of steel articles from these countries have increased as a share of total U.S. steel imports from 18.6 percent in 2020 to 20.7 percent in 2024,” the order says.
