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Trump adviser says Malcolm Turnbull meeting will be ’emotional’

Malcolm Turnbull's meeting with Donald Trump is expected to be an emotional one.

Malcolm Turnbull's meeting with Donald Trump is expected to be an emotional one. Photo: AAP

President Donald Trump’s Australian adviser Andrew Liveris expects emotions will be high when Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull jets to New York this week.

And the emotions will be positive, unlike the leaders’ reported acrimonious phone call in January.

Mr Trump and Mr Turnbull will meet on Thursday on the decommissioned aircraft carrier USS Intrepid to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the US-Australian Battle of the Coral Sea victory over the Japanese in World War II.

Darwin-born Mr Liveris will attend and noted US and Australian veterans of the battle would be present, symbolising the long and strong bond the US and Australia shares.

“This White House is a relationship driven White House and I think whenever Malcolm was going to get here it was going to be important, and I can’t think of anything more important and emotional than celebrating the veterans’ 75th anniversary,” Mr Liveris told AAP on Monday local time after attending the Milken Institute’s Global Conference in Los Angeles.

“I don’t have any details on the meetings, other than they will both be at the event, but I’ll be there and I’m looking forward to having the relationship side of that cemented.”

Mr Trump became upset during the January 28 phone about what he called a “dumb” refugee deal Mr Turnbull negotiated when Barack Obama was in the White House.

Mr Trump has reluctantly agreed to honour the deal if the refugees, kept on Nauru and Manus Island, pass “extreme vetting”.

Mr Liveris, appointed by Mr Trump to head the American Manufacturing Council, has become an influential figure in the White House.

Mr Liveris is the chief executive, chairman and president of Dow Chemical, the Michigan-based multinational corporation and one of the world’s largest chemical producing companies.

– AAP

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