
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent listens prior to U.S. President Donald Trump (not pictured) signing an executive order on AI in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S. December 11, 2025. Al Drago/Reuters
SAVAGE, Minnesota—U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Australia and several other countries would join a meeting of finance ministers from the Group of Seven advanced economies that he is hosting in Washington on Monday to discuss critical minerals.
Bessent said he had been pressing for a separate meeting on the issue since last summer’s summit of G7 leaders, and finance ministers had already held a virtual meeting in December.

