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Updated April 17, 2026 — 8:54am,first published 4:37am
Washington: US President Donald Trump has renewed his accusations that Australia has not done enough to help him in Iran and the Strait of Hormuz, while ignoring Canberra’s recently announced hike in defence expenditure.
Asked about the announcement – which was partly to assuage criticism from Washington about Australia’s level of military spending – Trump initially said “we’re gonna see what happens” and then spoke about the US success in Iran.
Asked again, he launched into a condemnation of Australia for not helping with the war – specifically with reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
“I’m not happy with Australia because they were not there when we asked them to be there,” he said.
“Australia is another one. They were not there having to do with Hormuz. So I’m not happy, I’m not happy with them.”
Trump made the comments while taking questions as he left the White House on Thursday (Friday morning AEST). He did not respond to further shouted questions about whether he was still on good terms with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Speaking at a press conference at the Geelong oil refinery on Friday morning, the prime minister repeatedly ducked questions about what Trump had asked Australia to do, saying it was a question for the US president.
“We’ve engaged with the US administration constructively and we will continue to do so.,” Albanese said.
“I refer to my previous answers day after day after day when I’ve been asked, they’re exactly the same. There’s been no new requests at all, and indeed, President Trump has himself said that he has got this and he has made that position clear. There’s been no change.”
Albanese and his deputy, Defence Minister Richard Marles, confirmed that Australia would take part in the 40-nation talks later today helmed by the UK and France, exploring ways an international mission could restore freedom of movement in the Strait.
Earlier, Marles told ABC’s Radio National that the US had made no “specific request” for Australia’s assistance with reopening the strait, but did say Australia spoke with the Trump administration daily.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers, speaking to reporters in Washington in the hour after Trump made the remarks, said they were consistent with sentiments the president had expressed in the past.
Chalmers, too, said he was not aware of a formal request from the US for Australia to assist in reopening the Strait of Hormuz as Trump described.
“It’s not unusual for President Trump to call for more investment from partners in allies when it comes to defence,” Chalmers said.
“When it comes to the commitment in the Strait of Hormuz, as far as I’m aware, there hasn’t been a formal request from the Americans along those lines.”
Australia has already agreed to participate in “appropriate efforts” to help reopen the strait at the right time, along with dozens of other countries.
Asked about the discrepancy between what Trump was claiming and Australia’s position, and whether Albanese needed to speak with the US president to sort it out, Chalmers said the two leaders maintained a “great working relationship” and spoke from time to time.
Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles this week announced Labor would spend an extra $53 billion on defence over the next decade, taking the expenditure to 3 per cent by 2033 using the NATO definition, which includes military pensions.
The US had been asking Australia to lift spending to 3.5 per cent – although Trump digressed on that when he was asked during Albanese’s White House visit last year.
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