A chuffed Anthony Albanese is heading home from the US buoyed by his successful meeting with Donald Trump, which ended with a multi-billion-dollar minerals deal and reassurances on AUKUS.

The prime minister has revealed more details of his talks with the US president, while backing Australia's US Ambassador Kevin Rudd after his unscripted exchange with Mr Trump across the table at the White House stole the limelight.

"He's a friend of Australia," Mr Albanese said of Mr Trump during an interview on Nine's Today show on Wednesday.

"It was a terrific meeting; it couldn't have gone better."

During the post-meeting press conference on Tuesday, Mr Trump was asked about Dr Rudd once calling him a "traitor to the West".

When Mr Albanese pointed out that Dr Rudd was sitting across the table, M

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