US President Donald Trump could target Australia with more tariffs after rejecting calls for an exemption for steel and aluminium exports.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has described the exclusion snub as completely unwarranted.
Trade specialists have voiced worries that rejecting the exemptions might be an initial move toward possible future tariffs that could target Australia’s pharmaceutical and agricultural industries.
Once the possibility of an exemption vanished, Foreign Minister Penny Wong indicated that Australia's critical minerals would likely remain a tool for negotiation moving forward.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton thinks that not getting an exception highlights the prime minister’s weakness and incompetence.
