Opening for US beef has Donald Trump ‘smiling’

Donald Trump says the Albanese government’s decision to roll back restrictions on US beef took him by surprise and Australia was ‘obviously looking to do something’ ahead of next week’s tariff deadline.

US President Donald Trump said he has been left ‘smiling’ over the Albanese government’s decision to roll back restrictions on US beef. Picture: AFP

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Donald Trump says he has been left “smiling” over the Albanese government’s decision to roll back restrictions on US beef and has urged other countries to follow suit, as Labor accuses Washington of undermining “open, rules-based trade” with its ongoing tariffs.

In the face of the US President’s comments, the government faced increasing pressure on Friday to answer questions over whether the easing of rules on US beef imports was made for biosecurity reasons or in a ­blatant effort to improve relations with Washington.

Speaking to reporters outside the White House early Saturday AEST, Mr Trump said Australia was “obviously looking to do something” with its decision to lift restrictions on beef imports ahead of the August 1 tariff deadline, adding that the move had taken him by surprise.

“Most of the (trade) deals are finished right now … we are going to send a letter out during the week and it is basically going to say ‘you are going to pay 10 per cent, you are going to pay 15 per cent, you are going to pay less’, I don’t know,” he said.

“Australia was great, they opened up beef yesterday for the first time ever and we didn’t know about it. We asked them to do it and all of a sudden we got a word that they wanted to, so obviously they are looking to do something, Australia.”

President Donald Trump speaks with reporters before departing on Marine One from the South Lawn of the White House on Friday (Saturday AEST). Picture: AP Photo/Alex Brandon

Nationals leader David Littleproud said the Trump administration’s comments, following Labor’s decision to allow US beef born and raised in Canada or Mexico to be imported into Australia, seemed to have “validated” his concern that a deal was done before biosecurity protocols were finalised. “We need to know if Labor is sacrificing our high biosecurity standards just so Prime Minister Anthony ­Albanese can obtain a meeting with US President ­Donald Trump,” Mr Littleproud said.

Nationals MPs also expressed concern over Mr Trump using the move by Australia to put “on notice” other countries that block US beef.

“For a long time, and even though we are great friends, (Australia) actually banned our beef,” Mr Trump said in a statement on Truth Social. “Now we are going to sell so much to Australia because this is undeniable and irrefutable proof that US beef is the safest and best in the entire world.

“All of our nation’s ranchers, who are some of the hardest working and most wonderful people, are smiling today, which means I am smiling too.”

But in an apparent effort to distance Labor from suggestions that it was prioritising the relationship with Washington above all else, Trade Minister Don Farrell on Friday openly accused the US of “questioning the benefits of open, rules-based trade”.

Senator Farrell said there was a real risk of the system based on independence and shared prosperity shifting to one “based ­solely on power and size”.

“The Trump administration is seeking to expand domestic manufacturing and influence the policies of trading partners,” he said. “We cannot risk a return to the law of the jungle. If our trading partners’ growth slows, without doubt we will suffer.

“The costs to consumers and businesses of a global economic slowdown will be felt for generations, and the shockwaves of ­inflation will worsen.”

Trade Minister Don Farrell. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Despite the veiled swipe from the Albanese government at the Trump administration, senior US officials said the easing of the beef restrictions marked “a major milestone” in the countries’ relationship.

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said Washington would continue to engage with trading partners to “break down unfair trading practices and ensure that Americans are not fenced out of key markets”.

“President Trump is taking decisive action to confront unfair trading practices, and Australia’s decision to unlock market access for US beef is a direct result of his leadership,” Mr Greer said.

However, Senator Farrell sought to dispel fears that changes to programs like Australia’s Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme were on the table. “The PBS … will never be up for negotiation,” he said.