Joe Hockey says Malcolm Turnbull is closer to US President Donald Trump than other world leaders
THE US has been warned against ‘tickling the tummy’ of North Korea’s Kim Jong-un as Australia became a target of the rogue state.
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MALCOLM TURNBULL has a closer and more respectful relationship with US President Donald Trump despite his testy first phone call, according to Australia’s Ambassador to the US Joe Hockey.
Ambassador Hockey shared his unique insights on President Trump’s first year in office at the Australian National University in Canberra.
He dismissed reports of the testy call between the pair, saying they were doing their job for their country.
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“Prime Minister Turnbull has a closer and more respectful relationship with the President than almost any other world leader,” he said in conversation with Sky News Australia’s Political Editor David Speers.
“They’re not on the phone every Sunday afternoon but when they talk, I know the President really respects his view.
“And our Prime Minister is able to have an impact on his opinion in a way a number of others can’t.”
The former Treasurer also praised President’s Trump’s “unconventional” approach to North Korea and China, while revealing that Washington is watching reports about China’s influence in Australian politics “very closely” as they deal with their own Russian influence probe.
“Conventional, traditional channels are not working in certain areas,” Ambassador Hockey said.
President Trump’s “different way of doing things” was disrupting the normal state of affairs but a lot of the outcomes had been positive, he said.
Ending the US’s approach of strategic patience with North Korea was the right idea as “just rolling over and tickling the tummy of Kim Jong-un” was not working,” he said.
His hard line approach with NATO and China had also born fruit.
“Many Presidents went and lectured NATO about increasing military spending and NATO ignored them,” Ambassador Hockey said.
“This president said ‘If you don’t increase your military spending I’m out of here’ — they’ve all increased their military spending.”
Mr Hockey warned Australia had become a target of North Korea.
“We’re a target, our cities are targets, our people are targets. This guy is unhinged and we’ve got to protect our people, as the United States has to protect its people,” he said.
Ambassador Hockey also said President Trump’s base were in no way abandoning him, despite the turmoil in the White House so far this year.
“Trump does have a discernible, identificiable body of support across America — they are still right behind him,” Ambassador Hockey said.
“They are working class and they’re saying ‘I have had enough of the elites telling me how to live my life’.
“And Trump got their support and those people are sticking to Donald Trump because he is at least trying to deliver what they want and what they need.”
Ambassador Hockey also signalled Australia must retain it’s strong alliance with the United States and not let “anti Trump sentiment become anti-American sentiment”.
“Thank God for the Americans being our friends today and tomorrow,” he said.
“There have been a large number of very sophisticated attempted terrorist attacks on Australia and we in many ways have got to be grateful for the American support in finding those and preventing them happening.”
He said Americans loved Australians and never forgot their strong support in previous conflicts.
“I would state emphatically that we are the closest or equal closest intelligence partner of the United States,” he said.
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