Last week, President Donald Trump floated the idea of a meeting with Anthony Albanese during his whirlwind New York visit, even teasing a chat about an ABC journalist. But now, with Trump’s 24-hour itinerary for the UN General Assembly released, Albanese’s name is nowhere to be found – no bilateral sit-down, just a crowded reception where the PM might snag a handshake amid the throng of world leaders. Cue the predictable frenzy from Australia’s right-wing media: this is a diplomatic disaster, a direct retaliation for Albanese’s decision to recognise Palestine as an independent state alongside allies the UK and Canada. The White House has piled on, with press secretary Karoline Leavitt slamming the move as a “reward for Hamas” that does nothing to free Israeli hostages.
It’s the latest chapter in a saga of scheduling mishaps – remember the G7 in June, when Trump bolted early for the Iran-Israel flare-up, leaving Albanese in the lurch? Or the four “warm and constructive” phone calls since Trump’s inauguration that somehow haven’t translated to face time? The outrage machine is in overdrive, with headlines screaming “snub” and X posts from conservative voices lamenting how Albanese’s “weak leadership” and Kevin Rudd’s baggage have torched our US ties. Fair enough if you’re glued to Sky News, but let’s cut through the noise: nobody outside the Beltway bubble actually cares.
Polls paint a stark picture of Australian sentiment towards Trump. The Lowy Institute’s 2025 survey found trust in the US to act responsibly has cratered to a two-decade low of just 36%, down 20 points in a year, with overwhelming disapproval of Trump’s signature moves – from pressuring Denmark over Greenland (89% thumbs down) to slashing foreign aid (64% opposed). A YouGov poll echoed this, showing 66% of Aussies now see the US alliance as a net negative under Trump – up 25 points in months – with Labor voters at 69% and even a majority of Coalition supporters (56%) agreeing. The Australia Institute’s research is blunter: 31% view Trump as the world’s top threat to peace (edging out Putin and Xi), and half of us doubt he’d lift a finger to defend Australia in a crisis. Women, in particular, feel less secure since his return – 56% say so. Pew’s global attitudes survey ranks Australians among the most critical of Trump worldwide, branding him arrogant, dangerous, and economically reckless.
In short, most Australians don’t just distrust Trump – they detest his chaos. So there’s relief that our PM won’t have to pose for a photo op for a man who is seen globally as a pariah, a buffoon, and a threat to global peace and economic stability. Voices such as @TabularasaMMXIX on X nail it: “Trump is a punk, a criminal and a predator. Not meeting him is a good thing.”
This isn’t about Albanese’s foreign policy fumbles – it’s about the media’s obsession with manufactured drama. Right-wing outlets thrive on portraying Labor as spineless on the world stage, but the public? We’re more worried about grocery bills than diplomatic dance cards. As one X user quipped amid the snub chatter, Trump dodging Albanese might just be “for the best” – a mutual avoidance society.
Opportunities abound for a real chat: APEC in South Korea next month, or the ASEAN summit. Until then, let’s skip the pearl-clutching. Australia’s alliance with the US endures – not because of Trump’s whims, but despite them. And if skipping a meeting spares us more headlines about ABC gripes? That’s a win for sanity.
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I really hope it is because Albo decided he had nothing to talk to the US psychopath pedo about that would be worth wile so when asked for a meet he said NO … makes perfect sense after the way we have seen Trump treat some of the other world leaders … who would want to put up with that nonsense!!
Trump could not care about the US. Even though the USA is much larger than Germany, if the USA was facing a war that it could not win, Trump would not be out encouraging people to fight, he would be in a bunker and if one of his aides pointed out that he was raving about troops that did not exist, and that the Americans could not be left destitute, Trump wouldn’t care.
What people forget is that the USA didn’t rush to Australia’s aid in 1941 because it felt sad that Britain couldn’t defend it, but because of a common enemy and Churchill knew that Pearl Harbor would be bombed but didn’t say anything because he needed the Americans to enter the war! Had diplomatic measures avoided it, the USA would have probably said, “Where is Australia?”
We may still have the same vernacular, but Australia does not have common goals with Trump.
Trump needs to take a Tylenol and have a lie down !
I’m beginning to think that The Donald is no longer satisfied with being the All-American Dictator and is starting to see himself as The Planetary Overlord with everyone bowing to his being homo superior with unsurpassed and unparalleled genius.