Albanese claps back at reporter over Trump joke in New York as talks with US president move toward October meeting

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese clashed with a female journalist in New York on Tuesday over remarks he made earlier this year about whether he had Donald Trump’s personal phone number. In an interview with The Nightly’s Latika Bourke, Albanese was pressed on the issue and replied, "Don’t verbal me," before clarifying that if he did say it, it was a joke. He had previously said in April, "No. I’m not sure that he has a mobile phone, the US President. Or Joe Biden. It’s not the way it works with any global leader." He added, "There’s people taking notes from either side, it’s not a casual relationship," and that he did not have Trump’s number. The exchange underscored how discussions with Washington remain a high-stakes priority for Australia as Canberra presses for closer alignment on security and trade.

During the exchange, Bourke contrasted Albanese’s stance with reports that French President Emmanuel Macron had phoned Trump directly to ask for help navigating gridlock in New York traffic. When the reporter noted the apparent difference in access to Trump, Albanese cut her off and offered a retort that emphasized executive diplomacy over个人 contact details. "I didn’t say that, but anyway, keep going. If I did [say it], it’s called a joke – humour," he said, framing the earlier comments as humorous estimates rather than a policy stance.

Albanese and Trump ultimately shared an in-person moment at a United Nations General Assembly welcome reception hosted by Trump and First Lady Melania Trump at the Lotte New York Palace Hotel on Tuesday night. More than 100 world leaders attended the reception, which marked the first time Albanese had met Trump since the US president’s reelection last year. The gathering came after a long arc of diplomacy that included a formal bilateral meeting being planned for October 20 on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. Albanese has said the October meeting could include an Oval Office audience, underscoring the significance of Australia–US ties amid ongoing global challenges.

Australian officials have signaled the October encounter will be a substantive engagement. Albanese said the two leaders had discussed the timing in recent conversations and that a formal meeting in Washington, D.C., is expected to be productive. The Australian ambassador to the United States, Kevin Rudd, had earlier told attendees at one of Albanese’s New York speeches that the meeting was locked in and that Australia was “delighted.”

The planning for the October meeting comes after a long lead-in period that included a scheduled encounter at the G7 Leaders Summit in Canada’s Alberta province in June. That plan was scuttled when Trump departed to handle an escalating crisis in Iran, preventing a face-to-face with the Australian prime minister at that time. Officials emphasize that the October session will focus on shared priorities, including the AUKUS nuclear submarine pact and trade tariffs currently in place on Australian goods.

Analysts have noted that broader regional and global tensions—ranging from Middle East stability to nuclear nonproliferation—will factor into the conversation. Some observers have suggested that Australia’s decision to recognize Palestinian statehood may have contributed to a more cautious cadence in forming high-level meetings, though Albanese and his aides have portrayed the October date as one that had been agreed some time ago and coordinated through formal channels.

As both leaders continue their UNGA engagement, Canberra officials say the United States remains a critical ally on security and economic issues. Albanese has indicated that the bilateral talks will cover operational details of shared defense interests, regional security alignments, and trade dynamics, with an emphasis on practicality and alliance-building rather than personal access. The international backdrop—ranging from sanctions and diplomatic pressure to crisis management in volatile regions—will likely frame the tone and outcomes of the Washington visit.