Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is just hours away from landing to the US where he will be holding vital talks withUS President Donald Trump.
Trade, tariffs and the AUKUS defence pact will top the agenda when the two leaders are due to meet on Tuesday morning (US time).
There is also expected to be discussion about a potential critical minerals deal to ease the US reliance on China for the crucial rare earths.
The AUKUS pact - under which Australia will acquire nuclear-powered submarines - has been under review by the Pentagon. During his visit, it's been anticipated Albanese will announce a further billion dollar payment to the US as part of the agreement.
Nine Network political editor Charles Croucher told Today this morning, the first face-to-face talks between Albanese and Trump had been 10 months in the making.
"It's been a long time coming... So you make the time count.
"Both sides of the Pacific have been working on securing the AUKUS nuclear submarine pact. There is hope There will be an announcement on that here tomorrow.
"Beyond that, defence spending, trade tariffs and then that big and crucial market of critical minerals that's been cut off by China to America. So they're looking for a more reliable source. That could be Australia."
Albanese will be eager to avoid any public ambushes by Trump at the White House under the glare of the world's media.
Some other world leaders, notably Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, received a public roasting by Trump and Vice President JD Vance.
In his case, he was berated in February by the pair for not being grateful enough for US aid in the face of Russia's invasion, even though Trump had recently described the Ukrainian president a dictator.
Ahead of his US visit, Albanese said he was"not at all" nervous about the meeting, pointing to the"really warm discussions" he's previously had with Trump.
But Croucher thinks he'll need to tread warily.
"If Donald Trump deals in the art of the deal, then tomorrow Anthony Albanese needs to deal in the art of the Donald."
