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Trump told Turnbull refugee agreement was the 'worst deal ever' – report Trump told Turnbull refugee agreement was the 'worst deal ever' – report
(35 minutes later)
Donald Trump told Malcolm Turnbull the US-Australia refugee resettlement agreement was “the worst deal ever” and warned he was going to “get killed” politically during their one-on-one call last weekend, according to a detailed account of the conversation in the Washington Post.Donald Trump told Malcolm Turnbull the US-Australia refugee resettlement agreement was “the worst deal ever” and warned he was going to “get killed” politically during their one-on-one call last weekend, according to a detailed account of the conversation in the Washington Post.
The Post reported on Thursday that Trump had fumed during the phone call, and told the Australian prime minister he’d spoken to other world leaders on the same day, and this was “this was the worst call by far”.The Post reported on Thursday that Trump had fumed during the phone call, and told the Australian prime minister he’d spoken to other world leaders on the same day, and this was “this was the worst call by far”.
Trump, according to the report, accused Australia of seeking to export the “next Boston bombers”.Trump, according to the report, accused Australia of seeking to export the “next Boston bombers”.
The report says the friction between the two leaders “reflected Trump’s anger over being bound by an agreement reached by the Obama administration to accept refugees from Australian detention sites even while Trump was issuing an executive order suspending such arrivals from elsewhere in the world”.The report says the friction between the two leaders “reflected Trump’s anger over being bound by an agreement reached by the Obama administration to accept refugees from Australian detention sites even while Trump was issuing an executive order suspending such arrivals from elsewhere in the world”.
The White House declined to comment on the report on Thursday.
The “one-off” deal was announced in November with former president Barack Obama agreeing to take an unspecified number of refugees from Australia’s offshore detention centres.The “one-off” deal was announced in November with former president Barack Obama agreeing to take an unspecified number of refugees from Australia’s offshore detention centres.
The report on the phone call says Turnbull insisted the new administration honour the agreement, and allow refugees to enter the country on the normal vetting arrangements, which prompted Trump to declare they would be subjected to “extreme vetting”.The report on the phone call says Turnbull insisted the new administration honour the agreement, and allow refugees to enter the country on the normal vetting arrangements, which prompted Trump to declare they would be subjected to “extreme vetting”.
The call, scheduled for an hour, was terminated after 25 minutes, the Post said. The source of the account is attributed as a “senior US official”.The call, scheduled for an hour, was terminated after 25 minutes, the Post said. The source of the account is attributed as a “senior US official”.
Turnbull declined to comment on the report, saying the resettlement deal remained on track and it was best that conversations between leaders remained private.Turnbull declined to comment on the report, saying the resettlement deal remained on track and it was best that conversations between leaders remained private.
“I’m not going to comment on the conversation,” Turnbull told reporters in Melbourne. “During the course of the conversation, as you know and it was confirmed by the president’s official spokesman, the president assured me that he would continue with, honour the agreement we entered into with the Obama administration, with respect to refugee resettlement.”“I’m not going to comment on the conversation,” Turnbull told reporters in Melbourne. “During the course of the conversation, as you know and it was confirmed by the president’s official spokesman, the president assured me that he would continue with, honour the agreement we entered into with the Obama administration, with respect to refugee resettlement.”
Asked whether Trump had hung up on him, Turnbull again declined to comment, but he suggested he had argued Australia’s corner. “Australians know me very well. I always stand up for Australia in every forum.”Asked whether Trump had hung up on him, Turnbull again declined to comment, but he suggested he had argued Australia’s corner. “Australians know me very well. I always stand up for Australia in every forum.”
The new report significantly intensifies the government’s woes over the refugee deal, which has been the subject of confusing accounts out of Washington over the past few days.The new report significantly intensifies the government’s woes over the refugee deal, which has been the subject of confusing accounts out of Washington over the past few days.
The Turnbull government has been at pains to stress the deal is on track despite the contradictory statements out of Washington, and Turnbull has not referenced any tension between the two leaders, despite the fact the deal clearly contradicts Trump’s anti-immigrant messaging throughout the presidential campaign.The Turnbull government has been at pains to stress the deal is on track despite the contradictory statements out of Washington, and Turnbull has not referenced any tension between the two leaders, despite the fact the deal clearly contradicts Trump’s anti-immigrant messaging throughout the presidential campaign.
On Wednesday, Turnbull told the National Press Club: “The Trump administration has committed to progress with the arrangements to honour the deal ... that was entered into with the Obama administration, and that was the assurance the president gave me when we spoke on the weekend.”On Wednesday, Turnbull told the National Press Club: “The Trump administration has committed to progress with the arrangements to honour the deal ... that was entered into with the Obama administration, and that was the assurance the president gave me when we spoke on the weekend.”
He repeated the formulation again on Thursday. “I received the assurance that I did [on the resettlement deal] from the president himself.”He repeated the formulation again on Thursday. “I received the assurance that I did [on the resettlement deal] from the president himself.”
Confusion about the deal has rolled on for days. A statement from the White House spokesman, Sean Spicer, said the US had agreed to consider resettlement of 1,250 of the refugees held in Australia’s offshore detention centres on Manus Island and Nauru. Most have been on the islands more than three years.Confusion about the deal has rolled on for days. A statement from the White House spokesman, Sean Spicer, said the US had agreed to consider resettlement of 1,250 of the refugees held in Australia’s offshore detention centres on Manus Island and Nauru. Most have been on the islands more than three years.
“The deal specifically deals with 1,250 people, they’re mostly in Papua New Guinea, being held ... there will be extreme vetting applied to all of them as part and parcel of the deal that was made,” Spicer told the White House press corps.“The deal specifically deals with 1,250 people, they’re mostly in Papua New Guinea, being held ... there will be extreme vetting applied to all of them as part and parcel of the deal that was made,” Spicer told the White House press corps.
“The president, in accordance with that deal, to honour what had been agreed upon by the United States government … will go forward.”“The president, in accordance with that deal, to honour what had been agreed upon by the United States government … will go forward.”
But Spicer’s comment was almost immediately undermined when the ABC’s Washington bureau was telephoned by a White House source insisting the agreement was still under consideration and the president had not made a final decision.But Spicer’s comment was almost immediately undermined when the ABC’s Washington bureau was telephoned by a White House source insisting the agreement was still under consideration and the president had not made a final decision.
On Thursday the State Department issued a separate statement saying that the deal was going ahead.On Thursday the State Department issued a separate statement saying that the deal was going ahead.