Trump, Australia's Turnbull move to clear air after tense phone call

By Steve Holland

 

U.S. President Donald Trump (L) and Australia's Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull (R) deliver brief remarks to reporters as they meet ahead of an event commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea, aboard the USS Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum in New York, U.S. May 4, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

 

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump held his first-face-to-face meeting with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Thursday, and declared that they "get along great," following an acrimonious phone call in January that strained ties between the two allies.

 

"They said we had a rough phone call. We didn't really have a rough phone call," Trump said in dinner remarks. "It got a little bit testy. But that's okay."

 

Dressed in tuxedos as they prepared to attend a dinner, the two leaders met on board the USS Intrepid, a World War Two aircraft carrier that is now a museum moored on Manhattan's West Side. Joined by their wives, the two leaders later attended a gala to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea.

 

Turnbull was one of the first foreign leaders Trump spoke to after taking office on Jan. 20. The Republican president became irritated that he was expected to honour an agreement made by his Democratic predecessor, Barack Obama, to accept as many as 1,250 refugees held in Australian processing centres on remote Pacific islands.

 

Trump had broken off what was supposed to be an hour-long call after 25 minutes and later tweeted that the refugee agreement was a "dumb deal" and vowed to study it. The call aroused criticism and raised questions about his diplomatic skills.

 

Vice President Mike Pence visited Australia in April and made clear that while Trump was not happy about the refugee agreement, the United States would honour it out of respect for Australia. Under the agreement, Australia is to resettle refugees from three Central American countries.

 

Thursday's get-together with Turnbull was delayed because of Trump's hastily arranged White House celebration with Republicans from the U.S. House of Representatives after they narrowly passed a healthcare bill that would repeal and replace the 2010 Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare. The measure has yet to come before the Senate.

 

Trump and Turnbull were all smiles as they answered questions about the January phone call and the refugee deal during a picture-taking session.

 

"We get along great. We have a fantastic relationship, I love Australia, I always have," Trump said.

 

Turnbull added: "We can put the refugee deal behind you and move on."

 

Trump said the refugee deal had been "worked out for a long time" and that reporters had exaggerated the phone call.

"We had a great call," he said, adding, "I mean, we're not babies."

 

"Young at heart," added Turnbull.

 

Trump vowed to visit Australia as president, calling it "one of the great, great places" and noted he had many friends there. One such friend, pro golfer Greg Norman, was among the attendees at the Intrepid dinner.

 

In dinner remarks after their meeting, Turnbull celebrated the unity of spirit that brought the two countries together against Japan in World War Two, and said Australia and the United States are united against North Korea's nuclear and missile programs and are fighting together in Afghanistan.

 

"Today and together, we condemn and we resist North Korea’s provocation," he said.

 

It was Trump's first trip back to New York, his home and where he made his name and fortune, since the former real estate executive moved into the White House in January.

 

His motorcade passed hundreds of protesters as it arrived at the Intrepid in the early evening. Trump did not plan to visit Trump Tower, his home in midtown Manhattan where his wife, first lady Melania Trump, and their young son Barron still live, but instead was to spend the weekend at his golf resort in Bedminster, New Jersey.

 

(Reporting by Steve Holland; Editing by Peter Cooney and Leslie Adler)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-05-05

Trump on Turnbull: "He is a great guy. He's the only guy I know who governs a whole continent! Sure, it's a small one, but hey, I respect that! Fantastic fella."

 

(I made that up, he did not really say that, it's a joke)

Edited May 5, 20179 yr by klauskunkel

As turnbull is an ex Goldman Sachs man he should get along with the POTUS advisers. But do not mention Pine Gape  which is vital to th US communications system. All hogwash.

Oddly not mentioned in this article is that Trump praised (just after House Republicans passed Repeal & Replace of ACA) Australia's healthcare system that's better than the US. 

Australia has a universal health care system, known as Medicare, which gives citizens free access to doctors and public hospitals paid for by the government.

http://edition.cnn.com/2017/05/04/politics/trump-us-australia-health-care/

But it's a complete opposite of the new TrumpCare.

 

Trump doesnt have to worry about Turnbull at all, he is not going to be Pm for long.

555 Trumps press secretary Sean Spicer cant even get his name right... "Prime Minister Trumbull". In another clip about health care trump acknowledges Australia's better health care systems which is quite accurate (personally I believe that many Euro nations are better than Aus). However what is classically funny is that Trump cannot even recall Turnbulls name :D  He verbally reaches referring to Turnbull as our great gentleman.... and our friend... as he reaches for words while trying to remember the name of Prime Minister Turnbull. 

Edited May 5, 20179 yr by walterego
typo: spelling error classically

To his credit Trump has had to meet with a legion of world leaders and VIPs in a very short period of time so he is doing particularly well. That said it does give an indication of the importance allocated by Trump toward Australia if he has not even commited the leaders (Turnbull) name to memory.

3 hours ago, johnarth said:

Trump doesnt have to worry about Turnbull at all, he is not going to be Pm for long.

I wouldn't bet on that.  A Trump war will be enough to get Turnbull to follow (when hasn't Australia followed the U.S. into meaningless wars?) as it's normally enough for the incumbent PM to be returned to office if their is an Australian presence in a war.  A do nothing and phony P.M. like Turnbull can save his ass this way.  Is their any other way?

36 minutes ago, walterego said:

That said it does give an indication of the importance allocated by Trump toward Australia

Given Trump's White House invitation to Thailand's PM Prayut brings into question exactly who is important to Trump and/or the USA.

I can't wait for the SNL McCarthy's Spicer take on the "they have a better system (health)".

13 minutes ago, pegman said:

I can't wait for the SNL McCarthy's Spicer take on the "they have a better system (health)".

555, too funny, Spicer went into hiding sending out an asisst.

Malcolm Turnbull might want to rethink that immigrant exchange.

The U.S. might be sending those MS-13 gang members to Australia.

15 hours ago, Srikcir said:

Given Trump's White House invitation to Thailand's PM Prayut brings into question exactly who is important to Trump and/or the USA.

correct .... Australia's Turnball spent 35 minutes in a meeting on a decommissioned boat on the hudson.

Thailands, Singapore & Philippines president invited to the White House ....

what does that say .....  

On 5/5/2017 at 4:39 PM, klauskunkel said:

Trump on Turnbull: "He is a great guy. He's the only guy I know who governs a whole continent! Sure, it's a small one, but hey, I respect that! Fantastic fella."

 

(I made that up, he did not really say that, it's a joke)

Come clean now that was to much on the money to be a joke. 

Another clear cut example of the many faces facets of politicians. 

On 5/5/2017 at 10:42 PM, Srikcir said:

Given Trump's White House invitation to Thailand's PM Prayut brings into question exactly who is important to Trump and/or the USA.

That's a "question" that's really easy to answer --

 

 

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2017/05/06/bill_maher_trump_kim_jong_un_does_his_love_of_dictators_foreshadow_trying_that_shit_here.html