Olympics boss warns PM not to bow to Trump ahead of US meeting
A former adviser to Donald Trump and other US presidents has warned Prime Minister Anthony Albanese what not to do at his White House meeting.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese must not bow to President Donald Trump and should remind him the US needs Australia, Andrew Liveris says.
Ahead of Mr Albanese’s long-awaited meeting with Mr Trump at the White House on October 20, the Brisbane Olympics boss and global businessman warned Mr Albanese against pleasing the President at any cost.
“I think he (Mr Albanese) should be strong and say what he needs to say about our country,” Mr Liveris said.
“This ‘how am I going to make him happy so I can protect my country’ is exactly the wrong way to approach it.
“That’s where I do think our Prime Minister has done it right.
“What’s right for your country should be the conversation, and if America doesn’t like it, we have other friends.”
Mr Liveris – who worked in the US and has advised Mr Trump and his predecessors Joe Biden and Barack Obama – said the meeting should have been held earlier, but was now an opportunity to strengthen the relationship.
“We’re needed by the United States – critical minerals, we’re needed; security, we’re needed,” he said.
“We’re in the right region and we are a decent countervailing force as a middle power to the ascent of China.
“We’re on the right docket, also they have a trade surplus with us … make that case.”
Mr Liveris argued there was a vacuum of leadership in most Western democracies.
“Capitalism and democracy is going through a divorce, the appearance of political leaders who are self-serving is now endemic and fundamentally, this vacuum of leadership means society is not being served,” he said.
“There is no excuse for what’s going on with the demolishment of institutions.
“That’s what’s happening in Western society, the institutions are being demolished one by one by one.
“America needs to find America again.”
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