Donald Trump welcomes ScoMo to White House with State Dinner
US President Donald Trump has welcomed Australian PM Scott Morrison to the White House with a special toast. But Melania stole the show.
US President Donald Trump and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison have shared a toast to one another at Mr Trump’s second-ever State Dinner in honour of one of his closest allies.
The pair shared a quiet word on the side as the PM, along with his wife Jennifer, were welcomed at the White House in an elegant affair.
Accompanied by wife Melania, Trump is hosting a soiree for the Australian PM, who is just the second foreign leader to receive the high diplomatic honour of a U.S. state visit during Trump’s administration.
Melania stole the show in a J Mendel seafoam green gown with a high neck and transparent sleeves. The dress is embellished with vertical rows of bias-cut wavy ruffles falling to a skirt with narrow pleats. It sells for about US$6,000 on the Bergdorf Goodman website but is on sale for about $1,500.
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At State Dinner in the Rose Garden, Pres Trump and Prime Minister Morrison offer toasts to one another. They both spoke of the shared values of Americans and Aussies. @POTUS said we share a great love of family and respect of law and liberty. pic.twitter.com/YEC9vyVVGk
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) September 21, 2019
A toast ... kicks off Rose Garden State Dinner. ... under the stars ... pic.twitter.com/y8XCXZGmSb
— Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) September 21, 2019
But it wasn’t just her fashion choices that made it Melania’s night. Her husband and even Scott Morrison took the time to praise the First Lady.
“I want to express my gratitude to America’s magnificent @FLOTUS for tonight’s exquisite evening where we celebrated more than a century of loyal and devoted friendship between (US and AUS. Both of our nations are blessed by uncommon courage, unfailing commitment, and unyielding character!” Mr Trump posted to his Twitter page on Sunday afternoon (AEST).
During his speech at the State Dinner, Mr Morrison also took the liberty to thank Melania.
“Thank you so much Mrs Trump for the amazing night you’ve created for us here,” Mr Morrison said.
I want to express my gratitude to America’s magnificent @FLOTUS for tonight’s exquisite evening where we celebrated more than a century of loyal and devoted friendship between🇺🇸🇦🇺Both of our nations are blessed by uncommon courage, unfailing commitment, and unyielding character! pic.twitter.com/i61cHCZYlD
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 21, 2019
“Mrs Trump, your kindness, warmth, and quiet grace in the welcome to Jenny and I and especially here tonight has been very special. And as Jen has said, very sweet.”
Prime Minister Morrison also praised Mr Trump’s “belief in America and its people” and toasted to “100 years of mateship and to 100 more”.
“Australia will never be accused of indifference in our friendship with the United States,” he said.
“Tonight we are reminded that the United States feels the same way, especially under your leadership.”
Earlier, President Trump and Prime Minister Morrison solidified their “personal friendship” by lauding each other in a remarkable, spirited reunion at the White House.
“He’s really something special, we had a special day,” Mr Trump told Sky News Australia of Mr Morrison.
“Australia is a great country, beautiful place … I have a lot of friends from Australia. A very strong, great people.”
Mr Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were formally introduced on the South Lawn Friday morning local time to a crowd of thousands which included onlookers, an international press pack and members of the military, in Washington D.C.
Moments later, a black vehicle pulled up, and out stepped Mr Morrison and wife Jennifer.
The pair were greeted by the Trumps with an awkward slip between Melania and Jennifer, unsure of whether to shake hands or hug. The pair eventually exchanged a kiss on each cheek.
President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump greet the Prime Minister of Australia and Mrs. Morrison. pic.twitter.com/rUSquNpZ72
— The Hill (@thehill) September 20, 2019
The leaders did an inspection of troops and shook hands with spectators, then watched on as the Marines band played both the Australian and US anthems consecutively along with a 19-gun salute.
The prime minister is just the second foreign leader to receive the high diplomatic honour of a U.S. state visit during Trump’s administration. After the arrival ceremony, Trump and Morrison went inside to begin their talks, the wives repaired to the Green Room for tea and White House staff began the work of transformingthe famous garden just outside the Oval Office into the best open-air dining venue in town — if only for one night.
BUDDING BROMANCE
In their first meeting in the president’s Oval Office on Friday, Mr Trump was asked by a journalist how he would describe Mr Morrison, with whom he appears to be developing a budding bromance.
In a reference to George W. Bush’s “man of steel” title once bestowed on former Prime Minister John Howard — the last Australian leader to be honoured with a full state visit to the US — Mr Trump explained that “titanium’s much tougher than steel”.
“He’s a man of titanium, believe me, I have to deal with this guy,” he said.
“You might think he’s a nice guy, okay, he’s a man of real, real strength and a great guy.”
Earlier, Mr Trump welcomed Mr Morrison to the White House in a lavish official arrival ceremony ahead of a rare state dinner.
G’day USA. The Aussies are here. Wonderful to be here in the land of the free and home of the brave. Special thanks to my friend @realDonaldTrump and the First Lady for their warm invitation and welcome. pic.twitter.com/icu9CMqXfl
— Scott Morrison (@ScottMorrisonMP) September 19, 2019
In some of our Nation's darkest hours, Australia stood with us against fascism, communism, and radical Islamic terrorism. #USAxAUS pic.twitter.com/QUUkjE1t7h
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) September 20, 2019
In a speech, Mr Trump addressed a gushing Mr Morrison and reaffirmed the countries’ “long-cherished and unwavering friendship”.
“We share common customs, common values, common dreams and common heroes,” he said.
“God bless Australia.”
Mr Trump also promised that the highly anticipated Rose Garden state dinner planned for Friday night local time would be “quite something”. The opulent event will be the second of its kind for Mr Trump’s presidency.
Mr Morrison took to the podium and delivered a response to the president.
“Thanks mate,” he said.
“Thank you for this honour you have bestowed … with this extraordinary welcome.”
Mr Morrison said the Australian delegation brings with it the thanks and respect of 25 million Australians for the US.
President @realDonaldTrump shares the agenda for the day's meetings with @ScottMorrisonMP. #USAxAUS pic.twitter.com/4lqYhATV2M
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) September 20, 2019
The two leaders are seeking to demonstrate a strong alliance, with Mr Morrison saying the world is a better place with the US and that the two nations “see the world through the same lens”.
“We believe in the capacity of enterprise and free markets to create wealth and lift all — and for free and fair trade to bring nations closer together,” he said. “We believe that governments derive their power from the consent of the governed and that the ballot box and democracy is the surest foundation for peace and security; and we believe in the rule of law and freedom of association.
“These beliefs spurred this country to build a mighty canal; stand up to fascism and militarism; rebuild the modern world after winning a great peace; inspired the fascination, wonder and joy of the world’s children through a little mouse who could whistle a tune; took humanity to the moon; tore down a wall that separated liberty from oppression; and imagined, engineered and built a digital world that has connected humanity in a way that we now can’t imagine being without.”
Australians and Americans understand each other like few other peoples, Mr Morrison continued.
“For a century. we have done what true friends do and stick by each other.,” he said.
“You won’t find a more sure and steadfast friend, a better mate, than Australia.
“Mr President, thank you for welcoming me and Jen here as true friends.”
Mr Morrison is expected to make a second speech during a state luncheon hosted by the Vice-president, Mike Pence, and the secretary of state, Mike Pompeo later today.
Just waltzed up to the White House and immediately saw @realDonaldTrump (top, middle balcony) with military members rehearsing on the South Lawn for Friday’s state visit with Australian PM @ScottMorrisonMP @newscomauHQ pic.twitter.com/RIdp4D87xW
— Megan Palin (@Megan_Palin) September 14, 2019
The joint operations in the waters south of Iran are a major topic of conversation for the leaders and their officials during the top-level meeting on Friday.
In a joint press conference following the arrival ceremony, Mr Trump said he thought the US had taken a “very measured and calibrated approach” towards the Middle Eastern nation.
Mr Trump then repeatedly suggested he could make the call to go to war against the Middle Eastern nation right then and there with Mr Morrison and the media pack in the room.
“The easiest thing I can do, in fact I can do it while you’re here, is say, ‘go ahead fellas, go to them’. And that would be a very bad day for Iran,” he said, after announcing stronger economic sanctions on Iran.
Australia has so far agreed to a limited contribution to the US-led freedom of navigation operation in the Strait of Hormuz.
The talks between the leaders are also expected to encompass trade and the tensions with China, co-operation on the US plans for space missions to the moon and Mars, and rare earth exports.
“For a century we have done what true friends do — stick by each other,” Mr Morrison said at the welcome ceremony.
“Whatever lies ahead in this century, I know that Australia and the United States will go on to meet it with the same courage, the same daring, and the same unbreakable bond that has defined the first century of mateship.” He leaves a visual reminder of this long friendship, giving Mr Trump a statue of WWII soldier Leslie “Bull” Allen carrying a wounded American off the battlefields of Papua New Guinea.
The pair has spoken about Corporal Allen’s story twice previously and for Mr Morrison, it symbolises the indelible bonds that tie the nations together. Mr Morrison was later honoured at a luncheon for about 220 guests hosted by Vice-President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at the State Department.
In his second speech of the day, Mr Morrison delved further into the important economic ties at the State Department lunch, noting the US has had a trade surplus with Australia — selling more Down Under than it buys — since the Truman administration. “All US exports enter Australia tariff-free and quota-free. You can’t get a better deal than that,” he said. “We are the gold standard of US trade partners.”
These flyers depict Australia’s policy on Illegal Immigration. Much can be learned! pic.twitter.com/QgGU0gyjRS
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 27, 2019
Mr Trump and Mr Morrison will also spend part of Sunday together when they tour a new, Australian-owned manufacturing facility in Ohio.
Mr Trump has frequently lavished praise on Mr Morrison — who became prime minister in August 2018 and won a surprise re-election in May — as well as his controversial immigration positions.
Mr Morrison has in turn praised the American president as “a strong leader who says what he’s going to do and then goes and does it”.
“I get on very well with him,” he said in a recent interview, adding that they have a “straight-up relationship”.
The two conservative politicians spent time together at the G20 Summit in Osaka, Japan, in June as well as earlier that month at the at D-Day event in Portsmouth, England, leading some to speculate about a budding “bromance”.
During a dinner with Mr Morrison in Osaka, Mr Trump praised his counterpart, and boasted that he had predicted his victory at the ballot box.
“He didn’t surprise me but he surprised a lot of other people. See, I knew him. So I said he’s going to do very well and he did,” Mr Trump told US and Australian officials.
megan.palin@news.com.au | @Megan_Palin
— With wires
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