U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday he has spoken with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and that they are working on an agreement so Australia will not be subject to U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum.
“He is committed to having a very fair and reciprocal military and trade relationship,” Trump said on Twitter, referring to Turnbull.
“Working very quickly on a security agreement so we don’t have to impose steel or aluminum tariffs on our ally, the great nation of Australia,” Trump said.
WATCH: Despite protests from Republicans and international allies, U.S. President Donald Trump signed two proclamations Thursday to impose tariffs on aluminum and steel imports, but Canada and Mexico were made exempt pending a new NAFTA deal.
Despite being one of the world’s largest suppliers of raw commodity, iron ore, Australia is a small global exporter of steel.
Australian steel and aluminum to the United States were worth just over A$400 million last year, government data shows.
Canada and Mexico were also granted temporary exemptions from the tariffs, which were announced on Thursday.
Shortly after Trump’s tweet, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said on Twitter that the relationship between the two allies was fair and reciprocal.
“Thank you for confirming new tariffs won’t have to be imposed on Australian steel & aluminum – good for jobs in Australia and in US!” Turnbull tweeted.
(Reporting by Eric Beech in Washington and Alana Schetzer in Melbourne; Editing by Mohammad Zargham and Leslie Adler)
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