US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to place tariffs on all imports, including those from Australia. Photo: Screenshot.
Anthony Albanese has described newly announced US tariffs on Australian products as “totally unwarranted” but says his government will not join a “race to the bottom” by imposing reciprocal tariffs.
US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order for a baseline 10 per cent tariff on all imports to the US and has singled out Australian beef as warranting such action.
The Prime Minster immediately responded, saying the move was not a friendly one.
“The unilateral action that the Trump administration has taken today against every nation in the world does not come as a surprise,” Mr Albanese said.
“For Australia, these tariffs are not unexpected, but let me be clear — they are totally unwarranted.
“President Trump referred to reciprocal tariffs. A reciprocal tariff would be zero, not 10 per cent.
“The administration’s tariffs have no basis in logic, and they go against the basis of our two nations’ partnership.
“This is not the act of a friend.”
The Prime Minister said the move would have obvious impacts on Australia, but it would hurt Americans the most. But the bilateral relationship will remain strong, he said.
“We want to resolve this issue without resorting to using these, as we do support continued constructive engagement with our friends in the United States,” the PM said.
“Our shared history, our friendship, our alliance, these are all bigger than a poor decision.
“But the Australian people have every right to view this action by the Trump administration as undermining our free and fair trading relationship and counter to the shared values that have always been at the heart of our two nations’ longstanding friendship.
“This will have consequences for how Australians see this relationship.”
The US President spoke at length Thursday morning (2 April, US time) in the White House Rose Garden but shed little detail on how the new tariff regime will work and what specific imports from across the world would be targeted with higher tariffs than the 10 per cent.
Donald Trump announcing ‘Liberation Day’ on social media. Image: X.
“My fellow Americans, this is liberation day,” Mr Trump said.
“April 2, 2025, will forever be remembered as the day American industry was reborn, the day America’s destiny was reclaimed, and the day that we began to make America wealthy again.
“For decades, our country has been looted, pillaged, raped and plundered by nations near and far, both friend and foe alike.
“American steel workers, auto workers, farmers and skilled craftsmen.
“We have a lot of them here with us today. They really suffered gravely. They watched in anguish as foreign leaders have stolen our jobs, foreign cheaters have ransacked our factories and foreign scavengers have torn apart our once-beautiful American dream.”
Mr Trump described his across-the-board 10 per cent impost as reciprocal tariffs but said it was a discounted tariff.
It will hit Australian pharmaceuticals, but Mr Trump says that is half the tariff nations have been charging the US for its pharmaceuticals.
And he singled out Australian fresh beef.
“Australia bans — and they’re wonderful people, and wonderful everything — but they ban American beef,” the President said.
“Yet we imported US$3 billion of Australian beef from them just last year alone.
“They won’t take any of our beef.
“They don’t want it because they don’t want it to affect their farmers and, you know, I don’t blame them.
“But we’re doing the same thing right now starting at midnight tonight, I would say.”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will not impose reciprocal tariffs against the US. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
In his response, Mr Albanese repeated that there were some things not up for negotiation.
These include Australia’s Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, biosecurity on agriculture, and the Media Bargaining Code.
Peter Dutton also responded to the news, during a 2GB radio interview, and repeated his view that the Federal Government was weak in its interactions with the US over tariffs.
The Opposition Leader said there had been “no significant negotiation” between the US and Australia because Mr Albanese couldn’t get back on the phone with Mr Trump.
He added that the President wasn’t inclined to talk to Australia’s ambassador, Kevin Rudd, either.
“Donald Trump doesn’t have any time for Kevin Rudd, and we know that Anthony Albanese is on the record saying all sorts of colourful things about the President,” Mr Dutton said.
“Well, it’s obviously a dysfunctional relationship, and we need to make sure that we stand up for our country’s interests, and the Prime Minister, as I say, can’t get a phone call, can’t get a meeting, and I hope that that happens soon, because it’s in our country’s best interest.”
