Reported at www.abc.net.au: Australia’s Ambassador to the US, Kevin Rudd, is striving to secure tariff exemptions for Australian steel and aluminium amid a difficult negotiating climate with the Trump administration, which recently denied such exemptions.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has criticised the US’s handling of allied trade relations as “entirely unjustified,” while political experts suggest that the negotiations are hindered by Trump’s protectionist stance.

Rudd acknowledged that negotiations are challenging, yet he remains committed to advocating for Australian interests, particularly in terms of critical minerals which may provide leverage in future discussions.