Albanese Outlines Social Media Ban, Defence Plans Ahead of Trump G7 Meeting

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is preparing for a potential meeting with US President Donald Trump at the upcoming G7 summit in Canada, where they are expected to discuss key issues including defence spending and trade policies. Albanese has firmly rejected US pressure, particularly from Trump and his administration, to rapidly increase Australia's military budget to 3.5% of GDP, emphasizing that defence spending should be dictated by Australia's specific needs rather than arbitrary targets. Additionally, Albanese has pledged to maintain his government's plans to ban social media use for under-16s and enforce a news media bargaining code requiring tech giants like Google, Meta, and TikTok to pay Australian news outlets, policies strongly opposed by big tech companies with ties to Trump. In his recent speeches, Albanese stressed a vision of 'progressive patriotism,' asserting Australia's sovereignty in policymaking and underscoring the importance of delivering essential public services to restore trust in democracy. Despite the challenges posed by global uncertainty and US demands, Albanese conveyed confidence that Australia's electorate endorsed his agenda, which focuses on infrastructure, affordable housing, childcare, and democracy reforms. The upcoming summit and talks with Trump will likely test the bilateral relationship amid divergent views on military investment and digital media regulation.