Anthony Albanese has declared he trusts Donald Trump, as Peter Dutton attempted to distance himself from the US president during the second debate of the election campaign.
The pair were asked whether they trusted the leader of Australia's most important ally as they went head-to-head on Wednesday evening in their debate, which was hosted by the ABC.
The prime minister quickly said, "Yeah, I have no reason not to."
But the opposition leader tried to dodge directly answering the question.
"We trust the US, and I don't know the president. I've not met him," Mr Dutton said.
Voters are increasingly viewing the Trump administration as bad for Australia, and Labor has claimed the coalition is lifting its policies from the US.
Four in 10 voters believe Mr Albanese is more competent to handle the nation's foreign policy over the next three years, according to the 2025 Lowy Institute Poll.
Mr Dutton trails behind by 12 points, but almost 30 per cent of people remain undecided.
Slightly more Australians believe the opposition leader (35 per cent) would be better at managing the relationship with Washington and Mr Trump than the prime minister (34 per cent).
But when it comes to juggling China and Xi Jinping, Mr Albanese has a significant 20-point lead over Mr Dutton, 45-25.
Australians' trust in the US to act responsibly has reached a new low in the poll's 20-year history, with only three in 10 expressing any level of trust, and plunging 20 points from 2024.
Almost two thirds of the public say they hold little-to-no trust in the US, with support among older Australians falling the most.
But despite the pessimism, eight in 10 people still view the US alliance as important to Australia's security, even maintaining a strong majority throughout Mr Trump's first term.
An overwhelming number of Australians disapprove of the US president's use of tariffs, in addition to the withdrawal from the World Health Organisation and international climate change agreements.
More than seven in 10 hold negative views on Mr Trump's negotiations for a deal on the future of Ukraine with Russian President Vladimir Putin - where it would result in territory being ceded.
