Australia has a pretty easygoing reputation, there’s no denying it. Which is probably why this latest revelation comes as a bit of a shock: 25 minutes into a phone call, Donald Trump apparently abruptly hung up on Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull.
The phone call took place on Saturday but it’s only now that the Washington Post has brought it to light. According to the Post, Trump disagreed with Turnbull over a refugee deal and “boasted” about his electoral college win.
They reported that senior US officials were briefed on the exchange and that Trump allegedly told the PM that out of the four other world leaders he’d spoken to that day (including Vladimir Putin) “this was the worst call by far”. Ouch.
But wait: it doesn’t stop there. Trump also reported accused Australia of trying to export the “next Boston bombers”, before hanging up.
This is hardly the point, but Boston bombers were from the Kyrgyzstan. There aren't any refugees from Kyrgyzstan on Manus or Nauru.
— Mark Di Stefano (@MarkDiStef) February 2, 2017
There certainly doesn’t seem to be any love lost between the two world leaders – Trump’s Twitter has as per usual shown us what he really thinks of Turnbull’s attempt to follow through with the Obama administration’s pledge to take 1,250 refugees from Australia.
Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 2, 2017
Even more awkwardly, over an hour before Trump sent this tweet, the US embassy in Canberra confirmed that the deal was going to go ahead.
It once again confirms that Trump is planning to make good on the promises he made about refugees and immigrants on the campaign trail.
Everybody is arguing whether or not it is a BAN. Call it what you want, it is about keeping bad people (with bad intentions) out of country!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 1, 2017
People find his attitude towards a fellow world leader absolutely baffling. It’s not the first time Trump has treated another leader like this, but it is particularly shocking considering the traditionally warm relations between the US and Australia.
That ranks among the most amazingly gobsmacking newspaper stories I've ever read.
— Adam Gartrell (@adamgartrell) February 2, 2017
Turnbull has been mild in his response to Trump. He said at a news conference: “These conversations are conducted candidly, frankly, privately. If you see reports of them, I’m not going to add to them.”
FYI Turnbull is saying the call was “courteous” in public. His staff are leaking out that he treated Trump like a bully, by bullying back.
— Mark Di Stefano (@MarkDiStef) February 2, 2017
However, people are finding the whole exchange pretty awkward for Turnbull.
Turnbull's chat with Trump in one gif: pic.twitter.com/ZqzpHWc9yH
— edwin (@edwinthejeans) February 2, 2017
@PatsKarvelas @washingtonpost I'm not a Turnbull fan but as the PM of Australia he deserves some respect. Trump's ego is in free fall ??
— Raelene Govett (@rgovett1) February 2, 2017
Seems like Turnbull has been more supportive of Trump than most world leaders. Got humiliated for it, no surprise.
— Nebby Nebula (@Nebby_99) February 2, 2017
Trump's next Australia briefing #auspol #turnbull #TRUMP pic.twitter.com/8siXEJMew5
— RSP (@FarceEnough) February 2, 2017
Considering the relationship between the two countries, it is a pretty surprising move from Trump.
I made a Top 100 Possible Trump Administration Foreign Crises list & I gotta admit "Rupturing US-Australia Relations" was NOT on there.
— Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) February 2, 2017
However, maybe it’s all a mistake! One of Australia’s biggest phone networks Telstra was down on Thursday with text messages being misrouted, so many people think that could be behind the brouhaha.
Maybe Trump didn't hang up on Turnbull. Maybe Turnbull is just with @Telstra and got cut off
— Roger Oldridge (@roger_oldridge) February 2, 2017
It remains to be seen how this will affect relations between the two countries moving forward.