Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese reckons people in Australia are going to feel dumped-on by the United States after yesterday’s trade tariffs announcement. And he thinks that Australians will feel differently about Australia's relationship with America.  

Like us, imports into the United States from Australia are going to be hit with a 10% tariff.  

And Albanese —who is on the campaign trail— is talking tough, saying that the tariffs are “not the act of a friend” and Aussies won't be taking kindly to it.  

I’m not going to speak on behalf of Australians, but I don’t feel that way at all. We knew these tariffs were likely. We knew they were coming. I don't like them, but it's not going to change how I feel about our relationship with America.    

One political commentator across the Tasman is describing the tariffs this way, saying they are “unprecedented hostility from an ally”.  

Brad Setser —a former Department of Treasury economist in the States— described them on Newstalk ZB as "shockingly radical".  

They also show that, when it comes to Donald Trump, you can do as much sucking-up as you want but it won’t make any difference.  

Trump doesn’t do special relationships. Look at British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s recent visit to the White House and all the cosying up and handing-over of the letter from the King.  

That came to nothing. Britain’s been hit with a 10% tariff. It’s even worse for Europe, which has been hit with a blanket 20% tariff – despite France's president and Poland’s president having fireside chats with Trump at the White House in recent weeks.  

Israel dropped its tariffs on US goods the day before yesterday’s announcement, but still got hit with a 17% tariff.  

Although, our Trade Minister Todd McClay reckons there might be some wriggle room for countries facing tariffs higher than the 10% minimum.  

As for Australia’s PM, he’s condemned the tariffs, saying they are totally unwarranted. Going on to say that he thinks they will have an impact on the way Australians view Australia’s relationship with America.  

He didn’t go into any great detail on that - but I don’t feel any differently. And I suspect most Kiwis won’t feel any differently.  

I don’t think we are suddenly going to go all anti-America on it just because the products we export to the United States are going to be more expensive over there because of the tariffs.  

I think if anyone is anti-America, they’ll be anti-America already.  

Like the guy who won’t let Americans stay at his Airbnb. Mario Schmidt hasn’t been letting Americans make bookings with him since the scene with Ukraine’s President in the White House. So he’s anti-Trump and anti-America already.  

Anyone who is going to be anti-Trump and anti-America will be already, and everyone else will see the tariffs for what they are: a fact of life that we can’t do anything about.  

We have to like it or lump it, and they will make no difference to the way Kiwis feel about America.  

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