Anthony Albanese may not hold his first face-to-face meeting with Donald Trump until September, sparking criticism the prime minister is being too passive in building a bond with the mercurial president-elect.

While a number of other leaders have made a point of seeking out Mr Trump after his comeback election victory in November, Mr Albanese signalled on Monday they may not meet until the Quad leaders’ summit later this year, assuming Labor retains power at the election.