US President Donald Trump agreed to consider Australia's request for a full exemption from US tariffs, or at least no increase in the current rate, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Friday, Bloomberg reported.
Albanese said he raised Australia's free trade agreement with the US and its record on issues including modern slavery during a phone call with Trump on Thursday night, Bloomberg said.
Australia currently faces a 12.5% tariff rate, with the Trump administration imposing duties of 10% to 12.5% on imports from most major trading partners following a US probe into forced labor in supply chains, according to Bloomberg.