In firm grip of a new world order, Penny Wong races to make friends, influence people

Foreign Minister Penny Wong has used her first bilateral meeting with the US’s top diplomat, Marco Rubio, to build support for the AUKUS partnership and promote closer economic security.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong shakes hands with new US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the State Department in Washington. Picture: AFP

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Foreign Minister Penny Wong has used her first bilateral meeting with America’s top diplomat, Marco Rubio, to build support for the AUKUS partnership and promote closer economic security under a new Trump administration whose agenda has already unnerved close allies.

As Donald Trump used his second day in power to brainstorm his legislative priorities with GOP leaders after issuing scores of executive orders overhauling America’s immigration and energy policies, Senator Wong met with the new US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and had a “warm and constructive” discussion with Mr Rubio, the US Secretary of State.

A meeting was also convened of the foreign ministers from the four Quad nations – including the US, Australia, Japan and India – with members agreeing to strengthen maritime, economic and technological security “in the face of increasing threats”.

The joint statement upheld the commitment of all four countries to strengthen a “free and open Indo-Pacific where the rule of law, democratic values, sovereignty, and territorial integrity are upheld and defended”.

In a key signal to Beijing, the US read-out of the bilateral meeting between Senator Wong and Mr Rubio revealed that both had agreed to work together to secure a “prosperous Indo-Pacific region free from coercion” and to “continue security co-operation through AUKUS and bilateral defence initiatives”.

They also discussed enhancing the Australia-US “partnership on critical minerals and global supply chain security” and using the alliance to “its full extent to maximise opportunities in the Indo-Pacific”.

Senator Wong was just the second foreign minister to hold a bilateral with the newly sworn-in Secretary of State after Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. She said she was filled with “optimism and confidence about the opportunities ahead”.

The meeting came as Mr Trump made it clear the US was locked in a race with Beijing to master cutting-edge advanced technologies, with the President unveiling a new joint venture between OpenAI, SoftBank Group and Oracle, dubbed Stargate.

Under the joint venture, up to $500bn will be invested in AI infrastructure in the US over the next four years as part of a push to give Washington a competitive edge over Beijing, with Mr Trump declaring that “we want to keep it in this country – China is a competitor”.

Mr Trump – accompanied by the chief executives of all three companies involved in the joint venture – said the initiative would create “over 100,000 American jobs almost immediately”.

“This monumental undertaking is a resounding declaration of confidence in America’s potential under a new president,” he said.

“It will ensure the future of technology.”

After promising a new American golden age in his inaugural ­address, Mr Trump met with Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune at the White House on Tuesday (Wednesday AEDT) to discuss the passage of his legislative agenda through congress.

The Republicans enjoy only a slim majority and questions remain as to whether Mr Trump’s agenda should be presented in one or two bills.

Speaking after the meeting, Mr Johnson said “the Republican Party is united and excited”. However, some Republicans were left feeling uneasy over Mr Trump’s pardoning of 1500 participants in the January 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol Building, with Republican senator for North Carolina Thom Tillis saying that a pardon for “anyone who was convicted of assault on a police officer – I just can’t get there at all. I think it was a bad idea.”

As former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio and Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes, who were convicted of seditious conspiracy and serving sentences of 22 and 18 years respectively, walked free, Mr Trump’s pardons also drew criticism from police bodies.

Asked why he pardoned those convicted of assaulting police officers on January 6, Mr Trump said that “we’ll take a look at everything … but I can say this: murderers today are not even charged”.

Two dozen Democratic-led states and cities also launched challenges against Mr Trump’s plan to end birthright citizenship on grounds it contravenes the 14th amendment of the constitution granting citizenship to those born in the country.

Posting on his Truth Social platform, Mr Trump confirmed that he would also issue a pardon for Ross Ulbricht – the founder of the Silk Road underground website that was used as a criminal marketplace for illicit drugs.

“I just called the mother of Ross William Ulbricht to let her know that in honour of her and the Libertarian Movement, which supported me so strongly, it was my pleasure to have just signed a full and unconditional pardon of her son, Ross,” the President said.

“The scum that worked to convict him were some of the same lunatics who were involved in the modern day weaponisation of government against me. He was given two life sentences, plus 40 years. Ridiculous!”

Speaking at the Australian embassy, Senator Wong noted that “President Trump has made it clear that he is going to do things differently”.

He did so in his first term and he campaigned on taking a different approach on many matters – some of them domestic and some of them international,” she said.