💔 A missed connection
You know that feeling when you’re at a party hoping to talk to your crush — and they vanish before you can say hi?
That’s basically what just happened to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who spent the week on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada, hoping to land a one-on-one with Donald Trump.
For weeks, the Australian political conversation has been dominated by speculation around a potential meeting between Albanese and the US President. But in the end, it didn’t happen.
🌍 What is the G7 anyway?
The G7 is an annual meeting of the world’s major economies: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US.
Australia isn’t a member, but regularly attends as a guest — a chance to talk shop, build ties, and get facetime with leaders.
This year, Albanese was keen to speak with Trump - most likely about the AUKUS submarine deal and Australia becoming entangled in Trump’s global tariff extravaganza.
🚫 The meeting that never was
The meeting was set for early Wednesday morning Australian time — but on Tuesday, Trump pulled the pin.
His press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, told reporters the US President would be leaving the summit early due to “what’s going on in the Middle East”.
President Trump had a great day at the G7, even signing a major trade deal with the United Kingdom and Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Much was accomplished, but because of what’s going on in the Middle East, President Trump will be leaving tonight after dinner with Heads of State.
— #Karoline Leavitt (#@PressSec)
11:29 PM • Jun 16, 2025
Adding insult to injury: Albanese was, at that moment, mid-press conference explaining exactly what he planned to raise with Trump.
🤷♂️ Not snubbed, just sidelined
Trump’s early departure means he’s skipping multiple key meetings — not just with Albanese, but also with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
So far, Trump has made time for Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney and the UK’s PM Keir Starmer, with whom he signed a fresh trade deal.
Albanese is still expected to meet with other G7 leaders, including Japanese PM Shigeru Ishiba. But missing Trump — while not officially a diplomatic snub — is a clear blow.
🧠 Why it matters
The AUKUS deal and potential US trade barriers are both critical to Australia’s long-term strategy.
A sit-down with Trump could have helped secure commitments — or at least offered clarity — on where the US stands.
Now, those questions remain unanswered. And Albanese’s moment? It’s gone — just like the crush at the party.