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| John Howard says Trump is no racist and Australia shouldn't 'rush to condemn' him | John Howard says Trump is no racist and Australia shouldn't 'rush to condemn' him |
| (2 days later) | |
| The former Australian prime minister John Howard says he does not believe Donald Trump is a racist, while warning against what he sees as a “rush to condemn” the United States president. | The former Australian prime minister John Howard says he does not believe Donald Trump is a racist, while warning against what he sees as a “rush to condemn” the United States president. |
| Howard said Trump should be judged on the substance of his actions, saying his “locker-room style might not be the whole man”. | Howard said Trump should be judged on the substance of his actions, saying his “locker-room style might not be the whole man”. |
| “I think people who are writing him off now are foolish,” Howard said. “And a lot of people who are doing that still can’t accept that they lost.” | “I think people who are writing him off now are foolish,” Howard said. “And a lot of people who are doing that still can’t accept that they lost.” |
| Speaking at a US Studies Centre event titled “Howard on Trump” on Thursday night, the former prime minister largely offered a cautious assessment of the US president’s time in office. | Speaking at a US Studies Centre event titled “Howard on Trump” on Thursday night, the former prime minister largely offered a cautious assessment of the US president’s time in office. |
| Howard said Australia could trust Trump to preserve the alliance, predicted the US president would last a full term and praised his decisiveness in ordering an airstrike on Syria. | Howard said Australia could trust Trump to preserve the alliance, predicted the US president would last a full term and praised his decisiveness in ordering an airstrike on Syria. |
| One questioner asked Howard to unequivocally condemn Trump’s comments on migrants, women and Islam. | One questioner asked Howard to unequivocally condemn Trump’s comments on migrants, women and Islam. |
| Howard said he found Trump’s comments on women during the campaign as “deplorable”. He had earlier condemned Trump’s campaign rhetoric on trade with China, the trans-Pacific partnership and economic affairs. | Howard said he found Trump’s comments on women during the campaign as “deplorable”. He had earlier condemned Trump’s campaign rhetoric on trade with China, the trans-Pacific partnership and economic affairs. |
| On race, Howard said: “I certainly don’t think he’s a racist, if that’s what you’re inviting me to say. I certainly don’t believe that.” | On race, Howard said: “I certainly don’t think he’s a racist, if that’s what you’re inviting me to say. I certainly don’t believe that.” |
| He insisted it was too early to reach conclusions about the substance of Trump, rather than the style, and warned against joining the rush to early judgment. | He insisted it was too early to reach conclusions about the substance of Trump, rather than the style, and warned against joining the rush to early judgment. |
| “It’s more than a rush to judgement, it’s a rush to condemn,” Howard said. “I accept some of his style is provocative but, in the end, it’s what he does that matters. And I think it is far too early to be joining that rush to condemn.” | “It’s more than a rush to judgement, it’s a rush to condemn,” Howard said. “I accept some of his style is provocative but, in the end, it’s what he does that matters. And I think it is far too early to be joining that rush to condemn.” |
| Asked about Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris agreement, Howard again described himself as increasingly sceptical of climate change. | Asked about Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris agreement, Howard again described himself as increasingly sceptical of climate change. |
| “I have become increasingly more of a sceptic on climate change. I have to confess that,” he said. | “I have become increasingly more of a sceptic on climate change. I have to confess that,” he said. |
| He said European leaders should have predicted Trump would leave the Paris agreement and said they were in no position to lecture the US, who had carried the weight of defence responsibilities in the region. | He said European leaders should have predicted Trump would leave the Paris agreement and said they were in no position to lecture the US, who had carried the weight of defence responsibilities in the region. |
| Howard was well known for his closeness to the US during his time in office. He was a frequent champion of the value of the Australia-US alliance and showed a willingness to support America in conflict, following the former president George W Bush into post 9/11 engagements in Iraq and Afghanistan. | Howard was well known for his closeness to the US during his time in office. He was a frequent champion of the value of the Australia-US alliance and showed a willingness to support America in conflict, following the former president George W Bush into post 9/11 engagements in Iraq and Afghanistan. |
| His relationship with Washington saw him dubbed America’s “sheriff”, a label Bush himself used to describe Australia in 2003, causing some controversy. | His relationship with Washington saw him dubbed America’s “sheriff”, a label Bush himself used to describe Australia in 2003, causing some controversy. |
| During last year’s campaign, Howard said he trembled at the thought of Trump as president. He said an establishment candidate like Marco Rubio would have greater success against the Clinton campaign. | During last year’s campaign, Howard said he trembled at the thought of Trump as president. He said an establishment candidate like Marco Rubio would have greater success against the Clinton campaign. |
| “I tremble at the thought of Trump being president. There’s an instability about him that bothers me,” Howard told Sky News last February. | “I tremble at the thought of Trump being president. There’s an instability about him that bothers me,” Howard told Sky News last February. |
| On Thursday, much like his comments after Trump’s election, Howard struck a more conciliatory tone. | On Thursday, much like his comments after Trump’s election, Howard struck a more conciliatory tone. |
| He said Australia should not seek to move away from the US alliance in favour of China. | He said Australia should not seek to move away from the US alliance in favour of China. |
| “This argument that we’ve got to make a choice between the US and China, if any government implemented that they would be doing immense damage to Australia’s future.” | “This argument that we’ve got to make a choice between the US and China, if any government implemented that they would be doing immense damage to Australia’s future.” |
| Howard said Trump’s “America first” rhetoric was aimed at a domestic audience. He said he did not believe Trump would cause damage to America’s alliances. | Howard said Trump’s “America first” rhetoric was aimed at a domestic audience. He said he did not believe Trump would cause damage to America’s alliances. |
| John Howard | John Howard |
| Donald Trump | Donald Trump |
| Australian politics | Australian politics |
| Coalition | Coalition |
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