US President Donald Trump has heaped praise on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during their first face-to-face talks, despite an awkward moment when he told Australian ambassador Kevin Rudd: “I don’t like you”.

Trump and Albanese signed a rare earths and critical minerals deal during a friendly and positive meeting at the White House on Tuesday (AEDT).

The agreement would boost supplies and speed up investment in rare earths and critical minerals to counteract China’s dominance.

“This is an $8.5 billion pipeline that we have ready to go,” Albanese said, while signing the deal that Trump said had been negotiated over four or five months.

“Today’s agreement on critical minerals and rare earths is just taking it to the next level, seizing those opportunities, which are before us.

The agreement involved the processing of minerals, the leaders said.

Trump was effusive in his praise for Australia, which he described as an “amazing ally”. He said Albanese was a “great leader”.

“It’s a great honour to have you as my friend,” Trump said.

“It’s a great honour to have you in the United States of America.”

Albanese hailed the US-Australian relationship and said Trump’s work on a Middle East ceasefire was “an extraordinary achievement”.

Also present was former prime minister Rudd, who sat opposite.

A reporter asked Trump about Rudd’s past criticism – when he posted in 202o that Trump had been the “most destructive” president in US history during his first term.

“I don’t know anything about him. If he said bad, then maybe he’d like to apologise?” Trump said.

“Did an ambassador say something bad about me?” he asked Albanese before waving his hand and saying “Don’t tell me. I don’t want to know”.

“Where is he? Is he still working for you?,” Trump said.

Albanese pointed to Rudd on the opposite side of the table.

Rudd said it was before he took up his role as ambassador. He deleted the comments when Trump was elected a second time.

“I don’t like you either, and I probably never will,” Trump said, to a smattering of laughter.

Afterwards, The Australian reports Rudd was seen approaching Trump and offering an apology.

Albanese went into Tuesday’s meeting hoping to gain assurances the US would not tear up the AUKUS agreement, which is to give Australia nuclear submarines. Trump confirmed AUKUS was on track.

The more than $300 billion trilateral agreement has been under review by the US Defence Department to ensure it aligns with the “America first” agenda of Trump’s administration.

US Navy Secretary John Phelan told the meeting the US and Australia were working closely to improve the original AUKUS framework for all three parties “and clarify some of the ambiguity that was in the prior agreement”.

Trump said Albanese had invited him to visit Australia, an offer he was seriously considering.

The White House meeting is the first time the leaders have held formal bilateral talks and the sixth time Albanese has spoken to Trump since he he won last year’s US presidential election.

Most of those times have been over the phone. The pair met in person for the first time at a reception Trump hosted during the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September.

Albanese has been joined by Resources Minister Madeleine King and Industry Minister Tim Ayres for his visit to the US.

Also present for Tuesday’s White House meeting were US Vice President JD Vance, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

-with Reuters/AAP