Face of Nation : Prime Minister Scott Morrison has landed in Washington ahead of a meeting with US President Donald Trump. His Royal Australian Air Force jet, dubbed Shark One, touched down at Andrews Air Force Base about 8.15am AEST.
Australia’s ambassador to the US Joe Hockey was waiting for him on the tarmac, where a red carpet was rolled out and the Australian national anthem was played as part of a full ceremonial welcome.
On his arrival Mr Morrison told media that it was a privilege to be the US at the gracious invitation of Mr Trump to honour and celebrate “100 years of mateship” between the two countries. “But it’s also about laying the foundation for another 100 years,” he said.
Mr Morrison said the US may have many larger, more powerful friends “they know they don’t have a more sure and steadfast friend than Australia”. Morrisons will arrive at the White House’s South Lawn at 9am Washington DC time (11pm Friday AEST) where they will be greeted with a 30 minute arrival ceremony.
Mr Trump and First Lady Melania Trump will then take the Morrisons to a guestbook signing and the couples will exchange gifts.
The four will then head to the Oval Office for a meeting before a series of bilateral meetings between the president, prime minister and their staff. Friday’s activities will end with an opulent al fresco state dinner in the Rose Garden, which will be the first state dinner hosted at the White House in more than a year.
Golfing great Greg Norman and media mogul Rupert Murdoch, the founder of News Corp which is the publisher of news.com.au, are expected to attend.
It’s expected Australia’s role in helping America combat Chinese expansion in the Indo-Pacific and Iranian aggression in the Middle East will be high on the agenda. A senior Trump administration official briefed reporters on Thursday ahead of Mr Morrison’s visit.
The visit will include the signing of a memorandum of understanding involving Australia assisting the US to return to the moon and a joint plan on rare earths and critical minerals.
“We are going to have some announcements on a MOU between NASA and the Australian Space Agency on returning to the moon by 2024 and to explore new areas of mutual interest in things like automation and robotics,” the official said. The official described Australia as “an absolutely essential partner” in Mr Trump’s “free and open Indo-Pacific vision”. “This visit is designed to highlight some of that co-operation,” the official said.
The official said Australia had been a “tremendous partner” for the US “as it relates to Iran’s nuclear program and toward some of the challenges we face with Iran. “They have recently announced they will be joining patrols with the US in the Strait of Hormuz to ensure freedom of navigation in the strait.”
