US President Donald Trump (R) speaks during a meeting with Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (L) in the Cabinet Room at the White House in Washington, DC. (IMAGE: AFP)

A high-profile White House press conference briefly descended into farce on Monday when US President Donald Trump halted mid-sentence to scold a cameraman who accidentally struck a 400-year-old mirror in the Cabinet Room.

The interruption occurred as Trump sat alongside Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, announcing a landmark $8.5 billion critical minerals deal between the two nations. The pact aims to bolster supply chains and reduce dependence on Chinese exports of rare earth materials vital to defence and clean energy production.

Trump had been outlining the scope of the partnership when a sudden clatter drew his attention.

“We’re here to talk about trade, submarines, lots of other military equipment,” he began, before abruptly stopping. Turning to the source of the noise, he exclaimed, “Oh, you got to watch that. Watch that. You’re not allowed to break that. That mirror is 400 years old. A camera just hit the mirror. Ay yay yay!”

The president then defused the tension with a quip in his trademark style, “I just moved it up here, special from the vaults, and the first thing that happens is the camera hits it. Hard to believe, isn’t it? Hard to believe, but these are the problems in life.” Laughter rippled across the room as Trump resumed his remarks.