Turnbull accuses ABC of being ‘pusillanimous’ over Trump trade questions

Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has accused the ABC of being cowardly after two of the national broadcaster’s most prominent hosts questioned whether he was wise to antagonise Donald Trump when Australia is seeking exemptions to US tariffs scheduled to start this week.

Trump criticised Turnbull as a “weak and ineffective leader” on Monday after the former Liberal prime minister went on Bloomberg TV to argue the United States plans to slap tariffs on goods coming from its allies played into China’s hands.

ABC Radio National host Sally Sara questioned Turnbull on Tuesday, asking whether it was smart to attack Trump as a “bully” while trade talks were ongoing.

Turnbull responded by attacking the ABC for its line of questioning, which he said was a repeat from Sarah Ferguson’s approach on Monday’s 7.30, suggesting it was based on a belief that people should be silent out of fear of Trump.

Sara responded: “One of the joys and responsibilities of freedom of speech is deciding what to say and when to say it.”

But Turnbull argued “every week is a good week to tell the truth,” particularly when US shares had led foreign exchanges sharply lower this year and Trump was damaging decades-old alliances.

“Has the ABC become so pusillanimous that you’re seriously suggesting that we shouldn’t be free to speak the truth in Australia, for fear of Donald Trump?” Turnbull said. “Is that the depths you’ve sunk to?”

Growing testy as the exchange with Sara continued, Turnbull, said: “I believe in Australia and I believe in standing up for Australia and I think, I’m sorry, apparently you don’t.”

Sara, a longtime radio veteran, calmly told the former prime minister not to “put words in my mouth, with respect”.

“It’s my job to ask questions about your comments and this is in a time where there’s a significant ... trade decision under way,” she said.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton have broken with Trump on issues including Ukraine and trade but avoided forthright criticism of the US president, unlike some world leaders.

Malcolm Turnbull clashed with ABC Radio National breakfast host Sally Sara over Donald Trump’s comments.Credit: Marija Ercegovac

Turnbull, who described himself as a supporter of the ABC during the interview, went on to argue that Trump would continue to demand concessions from other nations under his “America first” mantra until strong leaders forced him to stop, which could eventually affect Australian media.

“What happens if the next debate is that [Trump says] ‘oh I hear … the ABC has been saying terrible things about me, that’s a state-owned broadcaster, why isn’t the Australian government doing something about that?’,” Turnbull said.

Earlier this month, Trump and Vice-President J.D. Vance berated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office for not appreciating US support, resulting in a suspension of military aid.

Turnbull made international headlines for having a heated phone call with Trump days after his first inauguration in January 2017.

Turnbull asked Trump if he would honour the Obama administration’s pledge to accept roughly 1250 refugees from Australia, which Trump dismissed as “a horrible deal, a disgusting deal that I would have never made”. Trump ultimately honoured the agreement despite his reservations.

The conflict was smoothed over when Turnbull flew to New York in May 2017 to meet Trump at a ceremony to commemorate the World War II Battle of the Coral Sea, where Australian and American troops fought together, and Australia eventually won an exemption to tariffs in Trump’s first term.

Dutton distanced himself from Turnbull on Tuesday.

“The prime minister has responsibility, as Malcolm Turnbull did when he was prime minister to negotiate with the then Trump administration for an exemption to tariffs,” Dutton said on Seven’s Sunrise.

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