Donald Trump asked Scott Morrison to help discredit Mueller investigation

President Donald Trump asked Scott Morrison to help gather information for an inquiry to discredit the Mueller investigation, a bombshell report has revealed.

President Donald Trump asked Scott Morrison to help gather information for an inquiry to discredit the Mueller investigation, according to two American officials with knowledge of the call.

Mr Trump initiated a phone call with the Australian Prime Minister a few weeks ago explicitly to push him to help his Attorney-General William Barr show that the Mueller investigation had “corrupt and partisan origins”, the New York Times reports.

It shows the extent to which Mr Trump sees the Justice Department inquiry as a way to gain leverage over America’s closest allies.

EXPLAINED: Donald Trump’s Ukraine phone call scandal

An Australian government spokesperson has confirmed the conversation took place, saying: “The Australian Government has always been ready to assist and cooperate with efforts that help shed further light on the matters under investigation. The PM confirmed this readiness once again in conversation with the President.”

Labor leader Anthony Albanese has slammed Mr Morrison over the saga, saying he “needs to be held accountable for his actions”.

“(The PM) needs to give some clear answers to what are very legitimate questions about a very serious issue,” Mr Albanese told reporters. “He is the person who needs to answer questions here.”

He said the US-Australia relationship is “not a partisan one, about Labor or Liberal, Democrat or Republican”. “It’s about country to country, and it’s important the Prime Minister bears that in mind.”

It’s also been revealed Australia’s US ambassador Joe Hockey wrote to Mr Barr in late May offering assistance in the Mueller inquiry review.

“The Australian Government will use its best endeavours to support your efforts in this matter,” he wrote. “While Australia’s former High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, the Hon. Alexander Downer, is no longer employed by the Government, we stand ready to provide you with all the relevant information to support your inquiries.”

Mr Trump’s chief of staff Mick Mulvaney was also copied in on the letter.

BREAKING: Australian Ambassador Joe Hockey’s May 2019 letter to US Attorney General offering to assist with investigation @9NewsAUS @TheTodayShow pic.twitter.com/rhotnG00Dh

— Kerrie Yaxley (@KerrieYaxley) September 30, 2019

It comes as Mr Trump is facing an impeachment inquiry over a phone call with the President of Ukraine, from whom Democrats say he requested a political favour in exchange for US military aid.

Similar to that call, the President’s discussion with Mr Morrison shows him using his position to advance his personal political interests.

The FBI’s counterintelligence investigation into Russian interference in the US election began after Australian officials tipped off the bureau about Mr Trump colluding with Russia to release damaging information on his opponent Hillary Clinton.

In late 2017, the Times reported that the FBI launched the investigation after Alexander Downer, Australia’s former high commissioner to the United Kingdom, told US officials that Trump campaign foreign policy aide George Papadopoulos boasted to him that he had dirt on Hillary Clinton in the form of “thousands” of emails.

Mr Papadopoulos told Mr Downer he received the information from Joseph Mifsud, a Maltese academic who was last seen working as a professor in Rome before disappearing.

Mr Papadopoulos has tweeted in response to today’s bombshell report, saying he was “right about Downer from the beginning”.

I have been right about Downer from the beginning. A wannabe spy and Clinton errand boy who is about to get exposed on the world stage. Great reporting, NYTs! Mifsud is next.

— George Papadopoulos (@GeorgePapa19) September 30, 2019

Addressing the Times report on ABC radio this morning, Mr Downer said he has no knowledge of the latest revents about his role in the origins of the probe.

“I don’t know anything at all about conversations Scott Morrison has had with Donald Trump,” he said.

“I just have nothing more to say about it. I had a conversation with this guy (George Papadopoulos) and passed on one element about it,” he added. “I can’t offer you any more information.

“I know nothing of the conversations that Scott Morrison has had with the Americans, including President Trump about this, insofar as there have been any. I just don’t have a clue.”

Special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation confirmed Australia had played a central role in the origins of the FBI investigation, although his final report did not mention the country by name.

It said information from a “foreign government” prompted the FBI to “open an investigation into whether individuals associated with the Trump campaign were co-ordinating with the Russian government in its interference activities”.

Mr Morrison and Mr Trump met in Washington last month for official meetings and a state dinner, which Mr Barr attended.

In May, Mr Trump told reporters he wanted his Attorney-General to examine all the countries he believed conspired to damage his chances at the 2016 election. He said he hopes Mr Barr “looks at the UK, and I hope he looks at Australia, and I hope he looks at Ukraine. I hope he looks at everything, because there was a hoax that was perpetrated on our country”.

More to come …