US President Donald Trump will consider Australia’s request for a full exemption from a new and controversial charge on Australian goods after a “very warm and productive” phone call with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese overnight.

The Trump administration has proposed a 12.5 per cent tariff on Australia and a slew of other countries for allegedly failing to take action to prevent slavery, a move Australian officials insist is unjustified.

Albanese told reporters at Parliament House on Friday that he raised the issue of tariffs with his US counterpart and that Trump agreed to “give consideration” to his request for a full tariff exemption or – at the very least – no increase to the existing 10 per cent rate.

“I informed him about our record when it comes to dealing with issues such as modern slavery, the strengthening that we have put forward … [to] hold companies accountable for the supply chain process,” Albanese said.

“We have a different position when it comes to tariffs. But I did ask that Australia’s position as a friend of the United States be considered, and the president agreed that he would give consideration to my request.”

Albanese hinted at further meetings with Trump in which tariffs could be negotiated, flagging two visits to the United States before the end of the year.

Fifty-four countries including China, Vietnam, Japan, the United Kingdom and New Zealand have been hit by the same 12.5 per cent tariff.

Six economies – Canada, the European Union, Ecuador, Indonesia, Mexico and Pakistan – were hit with a lower 10 per cent tariff because an investigation by United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer found they were the only countries that had “not failed to impose a forced labour import prohibition”.

Albanese described the phone call as “very warm and productive” and that the pair discussed AUKUS, artificial intelligence, critical minerals and recent deals in the Pacific.

“I was able to pass on my best wishes to the United States on their 250th birthday, as well as my personal best for the president’s 80th birthday.”

More to come