Anthony Albanese appears to be edging closer to landing the long-sought meeting with President Donald Trump when the prime minister is in the United States in September.

Despite Albanese’s reluctance to admit it, Deputy Prime Minster’s Richard Marles’ high level talks in Washington this week are seen as part of the prelude to a meeting.

Meanwhile, in Canberra, Albanese spent 45 minutes this week with Jason Smith, Chair of the United States Congress’s Ways and Means Committee.

Smith is very influential, both because of his committee’s importance and his closeness to Trump. He is in Australia as the guest of the Australian government. Usually visits by members of Congress are sponsored by the Americans. Smith sat in on the House of Representatives’ question time on Thursday.

If all goes well, the Trump-Albanese meeting would either be on the sidelines of the United Nations in New York, or in Washington.

It is believed the government now would prefer Washington if possible, having lost some of its earlier concern that the president might put Albanese on the spot there.

Much confusion surrounded the hastily-arranged visit by Marles, who is minister for defence. Initially no meeting with US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth appeared locked in. Then when pictures were posted of the two together, the Pentagon said it had been a “happenstance encounter” rather than a formal meeting. Later it reversed its position, saying “Secretary Hegseth welcomed the opportunity to meet in person with Deputy Prime Minister Marles for the third time this year”.

Probably more significant, however, were the other US figures Marles met: Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Trump’s deputy chief of staff, Stephen Miller.

Albanese was touchy on Friday when it was suggested Marles had been there to sort out a meeting with the president.

“That wasn’t his job,” Albanese told Nine. “I don’t know whether that was raised or not.

"We have office-to-office communication and Ambassador Rudd is responsible for those issues.”

It is not known where the government will land on the American demand for a substantial boost in Australia’s defence spending. Defence spending is now around 2% of GDP. The Americans would like to see it lifted to 3.5%.

But Marles would have been able to point out, if he had the opportunity, that Australia is a reliable ally, that it pays (under AUKUS) in cash, that it provides in-kind support, and that its defence budget is actually all focused on defence, unlike some other countries that put a load of other items under the “defence” headings in their budgets.

Albanese on Friday talked up his discussion with Smith. “I had a long meeting with him. I advocated Australia’s case [on tariffs]. We have zero tariffs for US goods coming into Australia on the basis of our Free Trade Agreement.

"So, a reciprocal tariff as the US president has said, would be zero. But it is true that we have as low a tariff rate as any country in the world has received in the United States at just 10%.”

“It’s clearly a part of the policy of the Trump Administration. I think that’s an act of economic self-harm. Tariffs hurt the country that’s imposing it because it increases costs.”