Hope for AUKUS future ahead of PM's Trump meeting

Washington [US], October 20: Confidence is growing within federal government ranks that the US will decide to keep the AUKUS security partnership ahead of a high-stakes meeting between Anthony Albanese and Donald Trump.
The prime minister is due to touch down in Washington on Monday afternoon (AEDT) ahead of his first formal bilateral talks with the US president at the White House the following day.
Tariffs on Australian goods are set to feature highly in discussions, along with a potential deal on critical minerals as well as the fate of the AUKUS security pact.
The US Defence Department has been conducting a review of the more than $300 billion agreement to see if it lines up with the Trump administration's "America First" agenda.
Assistant Foreign Minister Matt Thistlethwaite said that despite the uncertainty behind the review, there is support within the administration for the trilateral agreement, which would give Australia nuclear submarines.
"We're very confident that AUKUS will be maintained," he told Sky News on Monday.
"In the discussions that I've had with congressional representatives, both Republicans and Democrats, their strong commitment to AUKUS is continuing. That goes for the United Kingdom as well.
"We can't expect too much because they've got to complete that review, and that's an ordinary course of their deliberations there, but we're confident that AUKUS will be maintained."
Mr Albanese had spoken with Mr Trump five times ahead of the bilateral talks, with the first in-person encounter a brief meeting at a UN reception in New York in September.
"I look forward to a positive and constructive meeting with President Trump at the White House," Mr Albanese said in a statement ahead of his departure from Australia.
"Our meeting is an important opportunity to consolidate the Australia-United States relationship."
Federal minister Amanda Rishworth said while she didn't want to pre-empt the outcome of the talks with Mr Trump, they were set to be productive.
"No doubt there'll be a number of opportunities to have discussions about how we deepen our ties as a country," she told ABC TV.
"We are the closest of allies. We've got such a long history and shared goals around peace and security around the world."
Mr Albanese is also set to make the case for an exemption to tariffs imposed on Australian exports to the US.
While Australian goods have a 10 per cent baseline tariff applied, steel and aluminium products have suffered a 50 per cent tariff.
Australian officials have been laying the groundwork for a potential critical minerals deal with the US, which is hoped could be used as leverage for a tariff exemption.
Resources Minister Madeleine King and Industry Minister Tim Ayres will join parts of the prime minister's Washington trip, which is expected to focus on the critical minerals deal.
Source: Fijian Broadcasting Cooperation