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• Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese criticised US tariffs on steel and aluminium as 鈥渆ntirely unjustified鈥�.
• Albanese emphasised the tariffs were against the spirit of the US-Australia friendship but ruled out retaliation.
• The White House confirmed Australia would not receive an exemption from the 25% levies.

Washington鈥檚 looming tariffs on steel and aluminium are 鈥渆ntirely unjustified鈥�, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Wednesday after failing to secure a last-minute exemption.

鈥淭his is not a friendly act,鈥� Albanese told reporters, after the White House dashed hopes that Australia would be excluded from blanket 25% levies on steel and aluminium.

鈥淨uite clearly it is not a positive step in our relationship. It is as simple as that.鈥�

US President Donald Trump鈥檚 decision to slug close ally Australia was 鈥渆ntirely unjustified鈥�, Albanese said.

鈥淭his is against the spirit of our two nations' enduring friendship. Friends need to act in a way that reinforces, to our respective populations, the fact that we are friends.鈥�

Despite the setback, Albanese said Australia would not retaliate.

US President Donald Trump announced new tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminium, doubling them to 50%. Photo / Getty

鈥淭ariffs and escalating trade tensions are a form of economic self-harm and a recipe for slower growth and higher inflation,鈥� he added.

Albanese hinted that Australia may be one of the few nations to secure an exemption following a phone call with Trump in February.

鈥淭he US President agreed that an exemption was under consideration in the interests of both of our countries,鈥� Albanese said at the time.

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White House officials told Australian media overnight that the exemption was no longer on the table.

鈥淗e considered it, and considered against it,鈥� spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told national broadcaster ABC.

Australia is a minor global player in steel export markets but is a dominant source of iron ore, a key raw ingredient in the alloy.

Australian steel producer BlueScope said it employed about 4000 staff in the United States.

漏 Agence France-Presse