Anthony Albanese is facing calls to come clean on his claim of being the ‘first leader in the world’ to respond to Donald Trump‘s tariffs, now that it can be exposed as a fiction.
The Prime Minister has repeatedly claimed that he was the first global leader to respond to the US President’s ‘Liberation Day’ tariff announcement on April 3 last week.
However he has not attempted to call Trump to try to negotiate a better deal for Australia.
Mr Albanese was quizzed on his lack of attempts to contact Trump on Thursday morning and he insisted he was taking a ‘considered, calibrated, clear position’ to negotiations.
‘What I did, was after a contribution by President Trump that finished at eight o’clock, I was on my feet within minutes, literally,’ Mr Albanese told reporters in Far North Queensland.
‘The first leader in the world to respond. And we responded with a comprehensive plan.’
But the first part is simply not true – a fact that has now been seized upon by the Opposition with Coalition campaign spokesman Senator James Paterson demanding Mr Albanese ‘come clean’.
While Mr Albanese did front a press conference alongside Foreign Minister Penny Wong at around 8.21am on Thursday last week where he spoke for almost 40 minutes and fielded 24 questions, he was not the ‘first leader in the world to respond’.
The Prime Minister has repeatedly claimed that he was the first global leader to respond to the US President’s ‘Liberation Day’ tariff announcement on April 3 last week
But it simply isn’t true. He was beaten by Sweden’s Prime Minister by around 12 minutes
Daily Mail Australia can reveal that he was beaten by Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson by about 12 minutes.
This was quite the feat, given it was after 11pm in Stockholm.
The dapper Swede gave a sombre address, which was posted on X at 8.09am (AEST) about how United States came to Europe’s aid in the Second World War and the rich history of trade between the two continents.
‘Free enterprise and competition have laid the foundations of the West’s success,’ Mr Kristersson said.
‘That’s why Americans can listen to music on Swedish Spotify and we Swedes can listen to the same music on our American iPhones.
‘That is why I deeply regret the path the US has embarked upon, seeking to limit trade with higher tariffs.’
The Swedish PM then echoed a repeated refrain of leaders across the world, that his country was ‘well prepared’ and that his government would ‘continue to take every opportunity to reverse these developments’.
Senator Paterson said it was a ‘bizarre boast’ for Mr Albanese to make in the first place.
Mr Albanese was beaten by Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (pictured) by around 12 minutes. This was quite the feat, given it was after 11pm in Stockholm
Mr Albanese probably thought he was on safe ground making the claim given Trump’s announcement came at 9pm in London , 10pm in Paris, 1.30am in New Delhi, 4am in Beijing , and 5am in Tokyo (pictured: Mr Albanese approaching the lectern for his press conference at 8.21 amA(EST))
‘It’s even worse now it appears it was wrong,’ he added.
‘Anthony Albanese should come clean: did he deliberately lie to cover up his weakness standing up for Australia or is he just not across the details of an important issue of national interest yet again?’
The Prime Minister’s office refused to comment.
Mr Albanese probably thought he was on safe ground making the claim given Trump’s announcement came at 9pm in London, 10pm in Paris, 1.30am in New Delhi, 4am in Beijing, and 5am in Tokyo.
While the Swedish PM pipped him to the post, Mr Albanese did offer more than a just a recorded video.
Alongside Senator Wong, the Prime Minister unveiled a five-point plan to respond to the tariffs, which included $50 million for the sectors hit by tariffs, the establishment of a $1 billion economic resilience program and a critical minerals reserve.
Describing Trump’s move as ‘not the act of a friend’, he spoke to journalists for around 37 minutes and fielded 24 questions.
But his office’s refusal to concede the fact he was not in fact the first world leader came in the same week he oddly denied he fell off stage at a campaign event, despite the moment being captured on video.
The PM clearly stumbled over the edge of a stage in front of the nation’s press, only then to claim he didn’t fall at all – which Peter Dutton has bluntly branded a ‘lie’.
On Thursday morning, the Prime Minister defended his approached not to seek a call with Trump, claiming the ‘US administration changes its position on a regular basis’.
‘In the end … some of the decisions —such as the Heard and McDonald Island, Norfolk Island decisions, but not just those as well — some of the decisions in our region confounded people there were involved in the negotiations,’ Mr Albanese added.
‘On that basis, that is why you have to be an adult. You do not dial it up to 11 at every opportunity, which is what Peter Dutton’s plan is on everything.’