US President Donald Trump, in pursuit of his America First foreign policy, appears set to distance the US from Australia and other key allies with significant decisions on climate change and Asia-Pacific trade.
Mr Trump is expected to announce in coming days he will withdraw the US from the Paris climate agreement.
The president also welcomed Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc to the White House on Wednesday, with a potential bilateral trade deal between the nations high on the agenda.
One of Mr Trump's first moves as president was to pull the US out of the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement with Vietnam, Australia, New Zealand and eight other Pacific Rim nations.
"We are going to be discussing trade," Mr Trump, sitting alongside Mr Phuc in the White House, said.
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
"We are going to be discussing North Korea."
The remaining 11 nations in the proposed TPP are investigating whether the pact can move ahead without the US.
Multiple US news organisations, including the New York Times and CNN citing senior White House officials, reported on Wednesday Mr Trump is expected to pull America out of the landmark Paris climate accord.
Mr Trump said on Wednesday he would make a decision "very soon".
Asked whether he has been listening to chief executives of companies and others who are attempting to persuade his decision on the climate agreement, the president replied: "I'm hearing from a lot of people, both ways".
If he does pull the US, the world's second largest greenhouse gas polluter, from the accord it would leave just America, Syria and Nicaragua as the only nations not committed.
The Paris agreement, negotiated by Australia and 194 other nations including the US under President Barack Obama in 2015 in Paris, deals with greenhouse gas emissions mitigation.
"I will be announcing my decision on the Paris Accord over the next few days," Mr Trump wrote on Twitter.
"MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"
Mr Trump repeatedly vowed during his election campaign he would pull the US out of the TPP and the Paris accord.
