Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on ​Monday (March 30, 2026) said he wanted ‌more certainty from U.S. President ​Donald Trump on ⁠the objectives of the ongoing war West Asia.

Iran-Israel war LIVE update on March 30, 2026

“I want to ‌see more certainty in what the objectives ‌of the war are ‌, and ⁠I want to ⁠see a de-escalation,” Mr. Albanese said, responding to a question about his ​view on ‌how Mr. Trump was prosecuting the war.

An initial Israeli strike on February 28 ‌killed Iran’s Supreme Leader ​Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was replaced by ⁠his son Mojtaba.

The war has spread across the ‌Middle East, killing thousands, causing the biggest disruption ever to energy supplies and hitting the global economy.

Australia has provided ‌aircraft to assist with the ​defence of the United Arab Emirates after a ⁠request from the country, but has ⁠ruled out sending naval ships to ‌assist in reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Sunday (January 25, 2026) that comments from U.S. President Donald Trump lamenting the efforts of non-US troops in Afghanistan were “completely unacceptable”.

Mr. Trump said in a Fox News interview that NATO sent “some troops” but “stayed a little back, a little off the front lines”.

Also Read | U.K. PM slams Trump remarks on non-U.S. NATO troops in Afghanistan as ‘insulting’ and ‘appalling’

Mr. Trump appeared to be partially walking back his remarks on Saturday (January 24, 2026) amid growing outrage from European and now Australian allies.

Speaking on the ABC’s Insiders programme on Sunday (January 25, 2026) morning, Mr. Albanese said Australian families of fallen soldiers would be “hurting” as a result of Mr. Trump’s comments.

“Those 47 Australian families who will be hurting [hurt] by these comments, they deserve our absolute respect, our admiration,” Mr. Albanese said.

“The bravery that was shown by 40,000 Australians (who) served in Afghanistan, they were certainly on the frontlines in order to, along with our other allies, defend democracy and freedom and to defend our national interests,” he added.

“They deserve our respect.”

Read | Does Trump’s Greenland plan signal the end of NATO? 

On Saturday (January 24, 2026), a day after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned Mr. Trump’s remarks as “appalling”, Mr. Trump appeared to change his position — at least as far as British troops were concerned.

“The GREAT and very BRAVE soldiers of the United Kingdom will always be with the United States of America!” Mr. Trump said on his Truth Social platform.

“In Afghanistan, 457 died, many were badly injured, and they were among the greatest of all warriors. It’s a bond too strong to ever be broken.”

Mr. Albanese referenced Mr. Trump’s later comments, suggesting he also appreciated the Australian effort in Afghanistan.

“I think President Trump’s comments overnight indicate a very different position. He’s acknowledged the contribution,” Mr. Albanese told the ABC, but added that Mr. Trump’s previous comments were “entirely not appropriate. Completely unacceptable”.

‘I don’t like you either’

Mr. Albanese also announced Australia’s next Ambassador to the United States, recommending Greg Moriarty for the job.

Earlier this month, Australia announced its Ambassador to the United States, Kevin Rudd, would leave after a three-year tenure overshadowed by Mr. Trump’s verdict on him, “I don’t like you either.”

Former Australian Prime Minister Rudd, who departs his post on March 31 become President of the Asia Society think tank in New York, had sharply criticised Mr. Trump while he was out of office.

Read | White House rejects U.K. criticism of Trump remarks on NATO troop sacrifices

Mr. Trump expressed disdain for Mr. Rudd during a televised US-Australia meeting at the White House in October last year, prompting some Australian Opposition calls for his posting to be ended.

Mr. Albanese said Mr. Moriarty was an “outstanding Australian public servant”, and he had consulted with the Trump administration on his selection.

Australia will introduce wide-ranging reforms to crack down on hate speech, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Thursday (December 18, 2025), days after the country’s worst mass shooting in nearly three decades at a Jewish holiday event.

The alleged father-and-son gunmen opened fire as hundreds of people celebrated Hanukkah on Sydney’s famous Bondi Beach on Sunday, killing 15 in an attack inspired by Islamic State that shocked the nation and led to fears over rising antisemitism.

Mr. Albanese said the government will seek to introduce legislation that makes it easier to charge people promoting hate speech and violence, as well as increased penalties, and develop a regime for targeting organisations whose leaders engage in hate speech.

“Australians are shocked and angry. I am angry. It is clear we need to do more to combat this evil scourge much more,” Mr. Albanese told a news conference announcing the reforms.

Police allege the attack was carried out by Sajid Akram, 50, and his 24-year-old son Naveed. Sajid was shot dead by police at the scene, while Naveed Akram was charged with 59 offences on Wednesday after waking from a coma, including murder and terror charges.

On Wednesday, the leader of New South Wales where the attack took place said he would next week recall the state parliament to pass urgent reforms on gun laws.

Funeral of youngest victim to begin

The parents of 10-year-old Bondi Beach shooting victim Matilda had earlier criticised the government for failing to respond to a rising tide of antisemitism.

“We have been saying for years … they didn’t do anything,” Valentyna, Matilda’s mother, told Australian media on Wednesday, speaking about a string of antisemitic attacks in Sydney. The family has asked the media not to use their surname.

Matilda, whose funeral was being held on Thursday, was the youngest of 15 people killed in the shooting. Her funeral follows the first of the services for the victims on Wednesday, including those for Rabbis Eli Schlanger, 41, and Yaakov Levitan, 39.

Mr. Albanese’s government said it has consistently denounced antisemitism over the last two years. The government passed legislation to criminalise hate speech and in August it expelled the Iranian ambassador after accusing Tehran of directing two antisemitic arson attacks in the cities of Sydney and Melbourne.

Antisemitic threats

In the latest incident, a 19-year-old Sydney man was charged and will face court on Thursday after allegedly threatening violence towards a Jewish person on a flight from Bali to Sydney on Wednesday.

“Police will allege the man made antisemitic threats and hand gestures indicating violence towards the alleged victim, who the man knew to be affiliated with the Jewish community,” Australian Federal Police said on Thursday.

The centre-left Labor government has ruled out holding a Royal Commission, a high-level inquiry with judicial powers, into the shootings for now.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers on Thursday said a Royal Commission would distract Australia’s security agencies at a time when they should be focused on investigating the shootings.

Police are looking into Australia-based Islamic State networks as well as the gunmen’s alleged links to militants in the Philippines.

The Philippines National Security Council on Wednesday said that while Sajid Akram and his son had been in the country for a month in November the pair had not engaged in any military training.

Islamic State-linked networks are known to operate in the Philippines and have wielded some influence in the south of the country.

“There is no valid report or confirmation that the two received any form of military training while in the country and no evidence supports such a claim at present,” Philippines national security adviser Eduardo Ano said in a statement.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Monday (November 17, 2025) that Australia would not co-host the COP31 climate summit with Turkiye amid an ongoing stalemate between the two countries.

“We won’t be co-hosting, because co-hosting isn’t provided for under the rules of the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change), so that’s not an option,” he told reporters on Monday.

“People are aware that it is not an option, which is why it has been ruled out.”

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday (October 20, 2025) expressed disdain towards Australia’s ambassador, former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, as the two sat face-to-face across the cabinet table in the White House.

Mr. Trump and his top aides were meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in an otherwise friendly meeting that confirmed a deal on submarines.

Asked by a reporter how he felt about Mr. Rudd’s previous criticism of the U.S. president, Trump said “maybe he’ll like to apologise.”

Turning to Mr. Albanese at his side, Trump said, “Where is he? Is he still working for you?”Mr. Albanese smiled awkwardly before gesturing to Mr. Rudd, who was sitting directly in front of them.

Mr. Rudd began to explain, “That was before I took this position, Mr. President.” Mr. Trump cut him off, saying, “I don’t like you either. I don’t. And I probably never will.”

Officials from the two allies laughed before another reporter quickly asked a new question.

Australia’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Penny Wong, later tried to shrug off Mr. Trump’s remarks as “clearly tongue-in-cheek.”

“We heard the laughter. We know that we had a very successful meeting and full credit to Kevin,” she told Australia’s Nine Network.

Mr. Rudd, a former Prime Minister from Mr. Albanese’s Labor Party, was sharply critical of Mr. Trump in social media posts while the Republican billionaire was out of office.

Mr. Rudd called Mr. Trump, whose supporters rioted at the U.S. Capitol after his 2020 election defeat, the “most destructive President in history” and a “traitor to the West” who “drags America and democracy through the mud.”

Mr. Rudd deleted the comments after Mr. Trump won back the White House.

Mr. Rudd, a Mandarin-speaking former career diplomat, had been tapped as ambassador during Joe Biden’s presidency, with Australia hoping his expertise on China would gain him influence in Washington.

Mr. Trump during the campaign last year called Mr. Rudd “nasty” and said he would not last long as ambassador, in an interview with hard-right British politician Nigel Farage.