IN ATTEMPT TO REVIVE ‘MATESHIP’ WITH U.S ALLY, DONALD TRUMP GREETS AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER…
IN ATTEMPT TO REVIVE ‘MATESHIP’ WITH U.S ALLY, DONALD TRUMP GREETS AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER…
President Trump welcomed Australian
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to the White House Friday in an attempt to
rebuild a sometimes-strained relationship with a crucial Pacific ally.
A lot of good things will come out of this visit,” Trump said, citing work on trade and military cooperation. The two
leaders haven't always seen eye-to-eye over the first 13 months of Trump's
presidency. Shortly after his inauguration, Trump spoke to Turnbull by
phone, expressing anger over an agreement to help with refugees in the South
Pacific and boasting of his inaugural crowds.
While Trump and Turnbull downplayed the incident at the time, a leaked transcript of the call later confirmed that it ended on a sour note. "I
have had it. I have been making these calls all day and this is the most
unpleasant call all day. Putin was a pleasant call. This is ridiculous,"
Trump told Turnbull on the call. At a comedic press dinner last
year, Turnbull mocked Trump's obsession with"winning" online polls. ("They are so easy
to win," Turnbull said, imitating Trump. "I have The two
men are also divided on trade. Trump has pulled out of the Trans-Pacific
Partnership, now an 11-member trade pact meant to contain China's growing
economic clout in the region.
Turnbull is trying to lure Trump back into the TPP. And he's offering an intriguing carrot: An offer to invest some of
Australia's public pension assets in U.S. infrastructure. Trump and Turnbull
appeared largely cordial Friday — even allowing a rare photo opportunity
as they walked part the White House Rose Garden. But once in the Oval Office,
the two men gave only perfunctory statements professing the strong bonds between
the two nations. The relationship with have with Australia is a terrific
relationship and probably stronger now than ever before, maybe because of our
relationship, our friendship," Trump said. We’re working on trade deals,
we’re working on military and protection and all of the things that you would
think we would be discussing today."
Turnbull lauded 100 years of "mateship" between the two counties dating back
to the 1918 Battle of the Hamel, where soldiers from the United States and
Australia fought side-by-side in France during World War I.
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