There’s no trade-off for US tariff deal, says Bishop

TURNBULL Government ministers are adamant the US does not expect anything from Australia in return for exempting Aussie steel and aluminium from new tariffs.

President Donald Trump said in a tweet his administration was “working very quickly on a security agreement so we don’t have to impose steel or aluminum (sic) tariffs on our ally, the great nation of Australia”.

Questions have been raised over what such a security agreement might entail, especially in light of Mr Trump telling the Prime Minister in February he would love Australia to join the US on new freedom-of-navigation exercises in the South China Sea.

But Foreign Minister Julie Bishop is emphatic there is no new security or military arrangement Australia is expected to meet.

Mr Trump’s reference to a “security agreement” was just using the specific language of the executive order he issued on the tariffs, she said.

“There is no further security arrangement. There was no reciprocal arrangement as a result of the tariff exemption,” she said yesterday.

“The exemption is simply an exemption based on what they call national security grounds ... The United States was not asking anything in return.”

Trade Minister Steve Ciobo also denied any quid pro quo was expected.