Anthony Albanese has fired up during a press conference, accusing a reporter verballing him when they tried to remind the Prime Minister of a quip he made about whether US President Donald Trump owned a mobile phone.

Anthony Albanese has fired up at a reporter in a tense moment during a press conference in the United States.

The Prime Minister addressed reporters just before 6.15am (4.15pm local time) as he fielded questions following the revelation he had locked in a date to meet US President Donald Trump.

The Prime Minister addressed the media after the White House confirmed a meeting between the two leaders to be held in October.

The Nightly's Latika Bourke began to ask the Prime Minister about a moment in the election campaign where he joked he was “not sure” US President Donald Trump had a mobile phone when asked during a debate if he had Trump’s phone number.

"During the election campaign, you said on the second debate that Donald Trump didn't have a mobile. Since then, we've seen...," Bourke began before being cut off by Mr Albanese.

“I did not say that, I did not say that," he fired back.

“Don’t verbal me, don’t verbal me.

“I didn’t say that, but anyway, keep going. If I did, it’s called a joke, humour.”

Bourke then replied suggesting it "didn't seem like a joke" but Mr Albanese moved to quickly clarify the comments he made in April.

"Well obviously he has a mobile and anyone who actually saw the context would know that," he said.

"The point I was making was between leaders of nations, you organise phone calls, you have note takers, you do it in rooms where mobiles aren't allowed. That's the point. That is the way that you deal between the United States President and the Australian Prime Minister."

Bourke eventually finished her question, asking why Mr Albanese hadn't personally contacted the US President, after witnessing French President Emmanuel Macron call Trump directly and after United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke about texting him.

"Do you have Trump's number yet? Do you contact him personally?" she asked.

"I don't go into any of those details," the Prime Minister said.

The reporter followed up pressing if the Australian leader's "failure to do the same" as the likes of Macron and Starmer was the reason why there has been such a long wait for a face-to-face meeting with Trump.

Mr Albanese wasn't having a bar of it though, replying bluntly: "No, it's not", before moving on to another reporter.