‘I’m strong, I’m pro-Israel, I can work best with Donald Trump’: Peter Dutton hit backs at Anthony Albanese’s diplomacy claims

Peter Dutton says it is ‘comical’ to think Anthony Albanese can be a better global partner for Donald Trump than he would be, pointing to recent Australian votes against Israel in the UN and the PM’s past comments on the US president-elect.

Peter Dutton has hit back at Anthony Albanese's claims that he is better placed than the Opposition Leader to forge a productive relationship with Donald Trump.

Peter Dutton says it is “comical” to think Anthony Albanese can be a better global partner for US president-elect Donald Trump than he would be, pointing to recent Australian votes against Israel in the United Nations and the Prime Minister’s past comments on Mr Trump as marks against Labor in pursuing a relationship with the Republican.

Mr Albanese told The Australian on Wednesday that he is better placed than the Opposition Leader to forge a productive relationship with Mr Trump, arguing his close ties with Indo-Pacific leaders would be valuable to the new administration.

“Peter Dutton has not developed relationships with other people around our region and around the world,” Mr Albanese said.

“One of the things that puts Australia at good stead with our allies is the role that we play in our region … I have an excellent relationship with Japan and India, as well as the United States.”

But Mr Dutton hit back on Thursday, saying he had already worked with Mr Trump’s first administration and accused the government of failing to engage the US president-elect since he secured the White House last November.

The Liberal leader also brought up Mr Albanese’s comments, made at the start of Mr Trump’s first term, that the the billionaire had scared “the shit” out of him.

“President Trump is not somebody to be ‘scared’ of, but somebody that we can work very closely with – and that’s exactly what the Coalition under my leadership will do,” Mr Dutton told The Australian.

“The PM’s past juvenile and undergraduate comments that the President is someone who ‘scares the s..t out of him’ is a reflection of his inability – even as a senior shadow minister at the time – to have the right policy instincts and the right strength of leadership.”

And with the Coalition more aligned to Mr Trump’s strong support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s war against terror group Hamas in Gaza, Mr Dutton suggested Labor’s support for Palestine in the UN would also count against Mr Albanese’s attempts to forge a relationship with the new administration.

“It’s comical for him to now say ‘trust me with the US relationship’ when his own government has split with the USA on key votes at the UN, and we’ve seen little evidence of him engaging and influencing the incoming Trump administration in the national interest, which is a real concern,” he told The Australian.

“In fact, he bristled at the question he was asked on this matter earlier in the week.”

Mr Albanese has said his positive first phone call with Mr Trump had left him optimistic on the relationship and the future of the AUKUS security pact, and he will attempt to replicate the actions of the former Coalition government during the first Trump administration and win carve outs from tariffs for Australian products exported to the US.

But he has not pursued a pre-inauguration meeting with Mr Trump like UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Italian leader Georgia Meloni both have, and Australian Ambassador to the US Kevin Rudd has spent part of the summer before the Republicans take over the White House holidaying back in Queensland.