The threat of punitive tariffs, critical minerals and the AUKUS partnership – not the future of Kevin Rudd’s ambassadorship – formed the basis of Foreign Minister Penny Wong’s first meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Australia’s argument to avoid Donald Trump’s tariffs and maintain the AUKUS pact was successfully delivered on the first full day of his administration in his top diplomat’s first foreign engagements.

She will join other foreign ministers from the Quad group in talks with new US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with his Quad counterparts - India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Japan's Takeshi Iwaya, and Australia's Penny Wong - at the US Department of State here on Tuesday.

The Quad ministerial meeting of Australia, India, Japan, and the US focused on countering China's influence and maintaining a free Indo-Pacific.

The United States, Australia, India and Japan recommitted to working together on Tuesday, after the first meeting of the China-focused "Quad" grouping's top diplomats since President Donald Trump returned to the White House.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has met with his counterparts from Australia, India and Japan as the Trump administration kicks off its formal foreign policy engagements in discussions with the Indo-Pacific “Quad.