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From the White House on Monday, President Donald Trump spoke glowingly regarding his country's friendship with Australia.

"We are enduring friends and I believe there's never been anybody better," Trump told Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, during their inaugural formal discussions.

"We've battled side by side and we never had any reservations," he emphasized.

However, Australia, possibly for the initial occasion in its history, is experiencing emerging concerns.

The US has historically been seen as its primary partner, the definitive security partner.

Before Albanese hopped on the aircraft to Washington for the meeting - which he's been desperately trying to organise for months - he said it was an important opportunity to "consolidate and strengthen" the connection.

"Australia and the United States have stood shoulder-to-shoulder during all significant wars for over a century," he said in a statement.

"This administration is undoubtedly straining certain longstanding, unexamined beliefs regarding the dependability of the United States as an ally," an analyst, from the Lowy Institute, told the BBC.

The initial Trump presidency proved difficult for the Australian government – with limited expectations the subsequent term would be much different. The electoral contest in recent months was in many ways hijacked by concerns of how each prospective prime minister would manage relations with President Trump.

Trade Concerns & Defense Apprehensions

The administration has concerned Australia with his sweeping tariffs scheme, imposing an import tax affecting numerous Australian exports - 50% for aluminium and steel - perceived as a breach of longstanding trade arrangements.

"This is not the act of an ally," Albanese commented at the time.

Subsequently occurred a review of the landmark Aukus defence pact, announced in June to jolts of panic among Australian officials.

Publicly, the Albanese government remained steadfast in expressing assurance that the arrangement - providing Australia with advanced submarine capabilities in return for help countering China in the region - would proceed. Typically expected for incoming administrations to review their predecessor's decisions, it said.

However, protectionist statements - combined with the fact that the US is facing challenges in its own submarine supply - made some nervous that the deal may be cancelled or modification, potentially compromising Australian security with trouble brewing in nearby waters.

Relationship Strains

Additionally concerning was the prolonged effort to secure a meeting with Trump – interpreted by some legislators and media commentators as a snub.

A uncomfortable meeting between Defence Minister Richard Marles and US official Hegseth in recent months further complicated matters. The minister met Hegseth in August to lobby him on Aukus, but the latter's office issued - subsequently withdrawn - a communication indicating no formal discussions, only "a happenstance encounter".

In the end, the meeting on Monday went as well as it possibly could have for Albanese.

He leaves the White House with presidential compliments and an agreement ensuring US investment in Australian mineral resources, expected to challenge China's near monopoly of that market.

The leader also secured reaffirmed support for the security pact, in effect ending the prolonged reassessment.

He didn't receive a public dressing down – despite former leader Rudd, previous prime minister who was critical of Trump before taking up his current post to the United States, faced uncomfortable comments with the president telling him "I'm not fond of you either".

Persistent Issues

The tariffs remain a concern though minimally applied of any country, and in fact some Australian sectors, like beef, seem to profit from international trade shifts.

While the pact reassessment was a scare it eventually proved unfounded.

But all of this combined with additional considerations, such as inconsistent approach toward other partners, has generated growing skepticism of the US.

"For the first time during my career, a significant political faction gained advantage during recent elections from slightly distancing itself from America," Mr Roggeveen said regarding the government.

The numbers vary, but polling has consistently showed Trump is unpopular here, with declining numbers believe America is a reliable ally during his administration.

Nevertheless, the latest poll found that, nevertheless, about half of Australians believe Australia requires its alliance with the US more than ever.

"Acknowledging that Trump presents challenges, Trump lacks popularity. It's another thing to come up with an alternative to the US right now," research center analyst Jared Mondschein explained to media representatives.

Regional Security Concerns

Prior to the discussions in Washington on Monday, military aircraft encounters from the Chinese and Australian militaries highlighted continuing of tensions in the region.

China, which is Australia's biggest trading partner, has embarked on a huge military build-up and it's making Canberra, and a whole host of others, nervous.

Mr Roggeveen says there exists consensus amongst Australia's political and security experts that independent defense is challenging, if it comes to that - although he belongs to a small cohort with contrasting views.

Numerous experts reference Pacific nations as a critical line of defence - evident through Australian efforts to lock as many as possible into alliances - although some suggest that China represents a possible collaborator, not a threat.

"But there's a view... that the only reasonable course for Australia is pursuing strengthened ties with the United States," the analyst states.

"Numerous partners across the Asia-Pacific are grabbing for the uncertainty of a term-limited Trump administration rather than enduring Chinese governance," the commentator continues.

So while the way Australians feel about the US is changing, challenging to envision it greatly straying from current trajectory in the near future.