US President Donald Trump had a tense moment with a camera operator on Tuesday when equipment came close to damaging a centuries-old mirror in White House . “You're not allowed to break that, that mirror's 400 years old,” Trump warned the staffer.
"A camera just hit the mirror, I just moved it and a camera hit the mirror," the POTUS added.
The incident took place during a bilateral meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in the Cabinet Room at the White House. The leaders were signing an agreement on critical minerals and rare earths, a deal seen as crucial for the US as it seeks to reduce reliance on China.
Trump said the agreement has been in the works for around five months and is now moving “full steam ahead”, with only “minor” clarifications needed. “It's good timing that we got it done just in time for the visit,” he added.
The US president also addressed defence issues, noting that the Aukus defence pact with Australia and the UK is meant as a deterrent for China but adding, “we're not going to need it.”
He recapped the agenda for the talks, which included trade, submarine and military equipment orders, as well as critical minerals. “In about a year from now, we'll have so much critical minerals and rare earths that you won't know what to do with them,” Trump said.
The bilateral meeting began with Trump welcoming Albanese, praising the Australian leader for his work. The two leaders sat side by side, a notable change from previous visits by Argentina's Javier Milei and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky, who sat across the table from Trump.
"A camera just hit the mirror, I just moved it and a camera hit the mirror," the POTUS added.
The incident took place during a bilateral meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in the Cabinet Room at the White House. The leaders were signing an agreement on critical minerals and rare earths, a deal seen as crucial for the US as it seeks to reduce reliance on China.
.@POTUS scolds the Fake News for hitting up against an historic mirror that was just moved into the Cabinet Room at the White House: "You gotta watch that... You're not allowed to break that. That mirror is 400 years old!" pic.twitter.com/QlWnyww5VW
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) October 20, 2025
Trump said the agreement has been in the works for around five months and is now moving “full steam ahead”, with only “minor” clarifications needed. “It's good timing that we got it done just in time for the visit,” he added.
The US president also addressed defence issues, noting that the Aukus defence pact with Australia and the UK is meant as a deterrent for China but adding, “we're not going to need it.”
He recapped the agenda for the talks, which included trade, submarine and military equipment orders, as well as critical minerals. “In about a year from now, we'll have so much critical minerals and rare earths that you won't know what to do with them,” Trump said.
The bilateral meeting began with Trump welcoming Albanese, praising the Australian leader for his work. The two leaders sat side by side, a notable change from previous visits by Argentina's Javier Milei and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky, who sat across the table from Trump.
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