WASHINGTON: Former US President Donald Trump accused an Australian journalist of “hurting Australia” after being questioned about his business interests while in office, BBC reported.
Trump was asked by John Lyons from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) how much wealthier he had become since returning to the White House in January.
“I don’t know,” Trump replied, saying his children handled the family businesses. “In my opinion, you are hurting Australia very much right now, and they want to get along with me.”
‘Very Bad Tone’
According to BBC, Trump said he planned to meet Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese “very soon,” adding: “I’m going to tell him about you. You set a very bad tone.”
When Lyons attempted a follow-up, Trump pressed his index finger to his lips, telling him “quiet,” before moving on to address another journalist.
The sharp exchange underscored the tense atmosphere as Trump prepares for high-level meetings during the UN General Assembly in New York next week.
Strained US-Australia Relations
For months, Prime Minister Albanese has sought a direct meeting with Trump after talks between the two leaders were cancelled when Trump left the G20 summit in June earlier than expected to address the Middle East conflict.
Speaking to ABC Radio on Monday, Albanese confirmed he and Trump would “see each other in New York,” adding: “He’s hosting a reception on Tuesday night of next week. And as well, we’ll see each other at various forums that are taking place between now and the end of the year.”
Relations between Washington and Canberra have already been tested in recent months, following the Trump administration’s review of Aukus, a major submarine deal worth £176bn ($239bn; A$368bn) between the US, UK, and Australia, signed in 2021.
Tariffs and Fallout
In April, Australia was also hit with a 10% tariff on all exports to the US, which Albanese described as “not the act of a friend.”
Lyons, reflecting on the terse response he received from Trump, told the ABC that it was “an absurd notion” that politely asking legitimate questions could damage relations between two long-standing allies.
“For me, it was a perfectly normal thing to do to ask questions that I don’t think were provocative,” Lyons said, adding his enquiries were based on research and not made in an abusive manner.
White House Pushback
According to BBC, the ABC confirmed that Lyons’ questions were part of its investigative programme Four Corners, which is probing Trump’s business activities since his return to office.
Shortly after the incident, an official White House social media account amplified Trump’s remarks, captioning the exchange: Trump “smacks down a rude foreign Fake News loser.”
The confrontation adds a new layer of strain to the US-Australia partnership, once described as among the closest alliances in the Western bloc.
