‘Nice to catch up’: Morrison reveals Trump meeting
Scott Morrison and Donald Trump have discussed the AUKUS defence alliance during talks. Photo: AAP
Former prime minister Scott Morrison has met embattled ex-US president Donald Trump, revealing AUKUS was top of the agenda as the pair talked.
Australia’s 30th prime minister posted a photo of himself with the second-time Republican presidential hopeful on X, hours after Trump spent the day in court fighting allegations he paid hush money to a former porn star.
It is just one of four criminal prosecutions he faces.
“It was nice to catch up again, especially given the pile-on he is currently dealing with in the US,” Morrison wrote late on Wednesday (Australian time).
“Once again, the former president showed his true appreciation of the value he places on the Australia-US alliance and the shared role of supporting … a free and open Indo-Pacific.
“Good to see you (Trump) and thanks for the invitation to stay in touch.”
The post was accompanied by a snap of the smiling pair, in front of the famous gilded lift in Trump Tower.
According to Morrison’s post, the two former leaders discussed AUKUS, the defence alliance between Australia, the US and the UK.
The trilateral security partnership was announced in 2021 while Morrison was PM. It revolves around the US and Britain assisting Australia’s acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines.
“Was also a good opportunity to discuss AUKUS, which received a warm reception,” Morrison said.
“We also discussed the continuing assertions of China in the Indo-Pacific and the threats against Taiwan.
“These were issues we discussed regularly when we were both in office.”
Tweet from @ScoMo30
Asked on the ABC to give more details about Trump’s views on AUKUS, Morrison said he wouldn’t as it was “a private conversation”.
He brushed off the suggestion he had made the talk public with his social media post – and refused to say if he believed a re-elected Trump would endorse AUKUS.
“That is not for me to say. I don’t think it is right to be overly concerned about it,” he said.
“It is the most important agreement we have had in place with United States in 70 years. We haven’t had an election here (in the US) yet and there are a lot of things to happen between now and when these things would come into place, if he were to be making decisions about this.”
Morrison is in the US to promote and launch his book Plans For Your Good: A Prime Minister’s Testimony of God’s Faithfulness at the Australian embassy.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he had spoken recently to Morrison, but respected his office.
“I will leave diplomacy, funnily enough, to diplomatic endeavours,” he told ABC radio on Thursday.
“But we use our former prime ministers from time to time.”
Meanwhile, Trump is preparing for the US election in November against Democrat President Joe Biden in a rematch of the 2020 presidential battle.
Biden’s approval rating has continued to slip, while Trump faces multiple legal battles.
Source: GBN News
But the meeting between two ex-leaders could assuage fears about the AUKUS alliance, should the Republican nominee return to power.
In March, the future of the partnership was thrown into question after Trump lashed out at former Labor prime minister Kevin Rudd, who is now the Australian ambassador to the US.
In a question at the behest of Sky News Australia, Brexit campaigner-turned-broadcaster Nigel Farage raised Rudd’s criticism of Trump. In reply, Trump called the former PM a “little bit nasty”.
“If he’s at all hostile, he will not be there for long,” he said, in reference to Rudd’s position after the November US election.
The comments ignited a political firestorm with Rudd’s role called into question. The government backed Rudd, and Albanese said he remained confident in Australia’s alliances.
-with AAP