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US President Donald Trump is preparing to host Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison for a prestigious state visit this week, with the rare honour of a formal state dinner at the White House. It's being seen as a signature foreign policy moment for Morrison’s prime ministership.

The United States Studies Centre's CEO Simon Jackman notes in The Australian Financial Review this week that the Australian government has won favour in the White House. This is due, he says, to its support for the Iran situation, amends for allowing a close ally to have no ambassador for almost two years, and a "pat on the back" for leaning forward on China, lifting defence spending to 2 per cent of GDP, and for running a trade deficit with the United States.

Morrison will be in the United States until September 27. He is expected to visit the United Nations, NASA headquarters, and Australian and tech entrepreneurs working in the Midwest.