Phone call between Trump and Australian PM “the worst by far”
BBC – A phone call between US President Donald Trump and Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull has called into question a refugee resettlement deal.
The Washington Post reported Mr Trump called the conversation “the worst by far” of his calls with world leaders that day, and cut it short.
Mr Trump later tweeted that he would “study this dumb deal”.
Struck with the Obama administration, it would see up to 1,250 asylum seekers to Australia resettled in the US.
Australia has controversially refused to accept the refugees – most of whom are men from Iran, Afghanistan and Iraq – and instead holds them in offshore detention centres on the Pacific nations of Nauru and Papua New Guinea.
PM Turnbull had been seeking clarification on the future of the deal after Mr Trump last Friday signed an executive order temporarily barring the entry into the US of refugees and people from seven Muslim-majority countries.
How to submit an Op-Ed: Libyan Express accepts opinion articles on a wide range of topics. Submissions may be sent to oped@libyanexpress.com. Please include ‘Op-Ed’ in the subject line.
- Libya holds vast untapped oil reserves - December 03, 2024
- Gaddafi-era intelligence chief’s trial adjourned to January 2025 - December 03, 2024
- Western powers urge Syria conflict de-escalation - December 02, 2024