WASHINGTON — President Trump tore into a foreign ambassador on Monday who badmouthed him in the past after signing a multibillion-dollar, rare-earth and critical minerals deal with visiting Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
“Did an ambassador say something bad about me?” Trump asked Albanese when a journalist mentioned Australian Ambassador Kevin Rudd’s prior remarks vilifying the 45th and 47th president. “Where is he? Is he still working for you?”
Albanese informed Trump that Rudd, a former prime minister and Australia’s top diplomat in Washington since 2023, was sitting across the table, prompting Trump to ask, “You said bad?”
“Before I took this position, Mr. President,” Rudd attempted to explain, before Trump cut him off mid-sentence.
“I don’t like you either. I don’t. And I probably never will,” Trump said before calling on reporter to ask another question.
Rudd in 2021 referred to Trump as the “village idiot,” among many other derogatory remarks, including declaring him the “most destructive president in history.”
Moments earlier, Albanese and Trump signed an agreement to boost cooperation on the mining and processing of rare-earth and critical minerals — including putting up a combined $2 billion in investment pledges to counter Chinese dominance of the supply chain.
The deal follows China’s new trade policies announced this month requiring companies to seek permission before exporting material made with the minerals, including magnets, batteries and semiconductors — drawing a 100% tariff threat by Trump if Beijing doesn’t change course.
China currently controls more than two-thirds of the world’s rare-earth mining, which is essential for high-tech manufacturing. It also controls an estimated 90% of all global processing.
The US-Australia framework says the nations will cooperate to “identify projects of interest to address gaps in priority supply chains” and to “accelerate, streamline, or deregulate permitting timelines” to close them.
“[W]ithin six months” the agreement commits the countries to taking “measures to provide at least $1 billion in financing to projects located in each of the United States and Australia expected to generate end product for delivery to buyers in the United States and Australia.”
The just over two-page document says the countries will host a gathering of executive-branch leaders within 180 days to focus on goals, including how “to promote investment in mining.”
The agreement also identifies plans for “price floors or similar measures” to protect against “non-market policies and unfair trade practices.”
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent last week said the administration was working on a price-floor plan to prevent China from continuing to dominate the global market by strategically pricing products so low that it drives competitors out of business.
“The Participants will also work with international partners to develop a future global framework to deal with associated international pricing challenges,” the document says.
After signing the deal, Trump voiced confidence in his ability to negotiate with China despite two weeks of acrimony over the export rules.
“I think we’re going to end up having a fantastic deal with China,” Trump said after the deal-signing with Albanese. “It’s going to be a great trade deal. It’s going to be fantastic for both countries, and it’s going to be fantastic for the entire world.”
Trump said he plans to visit China in early 2026 and that “we’re going to have a very good relationship with China.”
