Trump’s record suggests that meetings with him frequently fail. Instead, Albanese has an important agenda to pursue at the UN in New York, and when dealing with the US better outcomes are more likely if Australia develops its own policies in its own interests.

A repost from 24 September 2025.

According to much of the media, sooled on by the Opposition, whether Albanese’s visit to America this week is a success is almost entirely dependent on whether he gains a meeting with Trump and how that meeting goes.

Now, according to the latest reports, this meeting with Trump in the Oval Office is not going to occur. But frankly this media fascination with Trump entirely ignores:

Issues to be pursued in New York

Palestine

Clearly ending the war in Gaza should be a priority. On Sunday (New York time), Australia joined with key allies, the UK and Canada, in formally recognising the State of Palestine. On Tuesday, Albanese will lead the Australian delegation at a high-level conference, hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, to further pursue a two-state solution.

Unfortunately, Israel, supported by the US, is opposed to this two-state solution. Instead, Israel is pursuing a campaign of genocide against the Palestinians and has made it plain that it will never accept a Palestinian state. Indeed, all the signs are that Israel, under Netanyahu, intends to occupy all the territory “from the river to the sea” forever.

Why the Trump Administration has effectively walked away from the previous US support for a two-state solution is a matter for conjecture. However, the result is that on this issue the US has now almost completely isolated itself from the rest of the world.

Climate........

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