Former prime minister Scott Morrison and wife Jenny have rung in the New Year with the Trumps at a red carpet event in Palm Beach, Florida.

The US president-elect and wife Melania hosted the gala at their opulent Mar-a-Lago estate, inviting around 300 guests.

Attendees reportedly included the world’s richest person Elon Musk, the next vice president JD Vance and Donald Trump Jnr’s new girlfriend Bettina Anderson.

Morrison posted a photo of himself and Trump wearing tuxedos alongside their glamorously dressed wives, Jenny and Melania.

The smiling next US president is giving the thumbs up to the camera as they pose in the ballroom.

“HNY 2025 from Mar-a-Lago”,” wrote Morrison on X.

The Australian reports Morrison may have been a guest of Australian cardboard box magnate Anthony Pratt who is a Mar-a-Lago member.

Pratt, who moved to the US full-time, has reportedly hired Morrison as a consultant.

This year’s event was apparently heavy with political attendees when in the past there were often celebrities like actor Sylvester Stallone.

Donald Trump and Melania on their red carpet at Mar-a-Lago. Photo: AAP

Meanwhile, as Trump made his grand entrance to his own party, he was asked if he would be attending the funeral of former President Jimmy Carter.

Trump responded, “I’ll be there.”

Pressed on whether he’d spoken to members of Carter’s family, Trump said he’d rather not say.

Funeral services honouring Carter, who died on Sunday at age 100, will be held in Georgia and Washington, beginning January 4 and concluding January. 9.

Trump was a frequent and fierce critic of Carter on the campaign trail ahead of November’s election, using the rising inflation rates of the 1970s to unfavourably compare President Joe Biden to Carter and his administration.

But the president-elect was gracious about the former president in posts on his social media site after Carter’s death on Sunday, writing that the nation “owed him a debt of gratitude.”

“While I strongly disagreed with him philosophically and politically, I also realised that he truly loved and respected our Country, and all it stands for,” Trump wrote of Carter.

“He worked hard to make America a better place, and for that I give him my highest respect.”

‘Stay in touch’

Trump and Morrison caught up in May 2024 when an embattled Trump was fighting allegations he paid hush money to a former porn star.

Morrison posted a picture of the smiling pair in front of the famous gilded lift in Trump Tower.

“It was nice to catch up again, especially given the pile-on he is currently dealing with in the US,” Morrison wrote.

“Once again, the former president showed his true appreciation of the value he places on the Australia-US alliance and the shared role of supporting … a free and open Indo-Pacific.

“Good to see you (Trump) and thanks for the invitation to stay in touch.”

According to Morrison’s post, the two former leaders discussed AUKUS, the defence alliance between Australia, the US and the UK.

The trilateral security partnership was announced in 2021 while Morrison was PM. It revolves around the US and Britain assisting Australia’s acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines.

“Was also a good opportunity to discuss AUKUS, which received a warm reception,” Morrison said.

“We also discussed the continuing assertions of China in the Indo-Pacific and the threats against Taiwan.

“These were issues we discussed regularly when we were both in office.”

Asked on the ABC to give more details about Trump’s views on AUKUS, Morrison said he wouldn’t as it was “a private conversation”.

He brushed off the suggestion he had made the talk public with his social media post – and refused to say if he believed a re-elected Trump would endorse AUKUS.

“That is not for me to say. I don’t think it is right to be overly concerned about it,” he said.

“It is the most important agreement we have had in place with United States in 70 years. We haven’t had an election here (in the US) yet and there are a lot of things to happen between now and when these things would come into place, if he were to be making decisions about this.”

Morrison was in the US to promote and launch his book Plans For Your Good: A Prime Minister’s Testimony of God’s Faithfulness at the Australian embassy.

-with AAP