Trump ally Mark Meadows’ freedom rallying cry

Mark Meadows is appearing at the conference that has raised Kristina Keneally’s ire.

Senior US Republican congressman Mark Meadows in Sydney. Picture: Ryan Osland

Donald Trump’s strongest ally in the United States congress is in Australia and wants conservatives here and back home to work more closely together to be “voices for freedom”.

Congressman Mark Meadows is the leader of the House of Representatives’ Freedom Caucus — the Republican’s hard-right faction and the current standard bearers for Trumpism in congress.

He is in regular contact with the US president and his name is regularly bandied about for top administration jobs, and was in the running for the powerful position of White House chief of staff.

Mr Meadows is in Sydney for this weekend’s Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) where he will push conservative voices in this country to stand up for right-wing values, as the Sydney talkfest comes under sustained attack from the Labor Party for promoting “extremists”.

Mr Meadows said he has been warmly welcomed by Australian conservative MPs and he has been in contact with President Trump, who has a message for his ally Scott Morrison.

“I spoke to the President on Wednesday in anticipation of the Prime Minister’s visit to the White House in September,” he told The Australian.

“The President’s comments were that the Prime Minister’s win was not only a victory for the people for Australia but really for the US-Australia relationship.”

As the GOP prepares to re-take the House and re-elect President Trump next year, Mr Meadows said the Liberals and the Republicans could share ideas and tactics on the back of the conservatives’ “miracle win” in Australia in May.

US President Donald Trump speaks with House Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows, left, and House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy. Picture: Reuters

“I’ve been impressed, truly impressed, by federal and state politicians I’ve met. Their commitment to conservative values and also their grasp of US politics,” he said.

“There is a lot we can share. Not just on a government to government level; but on a friendship to friendship level.

“My visit here to CPAC is about getting Australian conservatives to be voices for freedom … Too often here and in the US, we’re afraid of voicing our conservative values.

“There is great admiration for the Australian conservative movement … The election showed that the Liberals resonate most with the people who do the lion’s share of making a living.”

The exchange of ideas between Liberals and Republicans will begin at CPAC with former prime minister Tony Abbott.

Liberal MPs Amanda Stoker and Craig Kelly are also set to attend, and The Australian understands other Coalition MPs will be attending CPAC “election boot camps” run by US think tank The Leadership Institute.

Mr Meadows joins a list of high-profile Trump allies appearing at CPAC including top Republican fundraiser Matt Schlapp and Fox News star Jeanine Pirro.

Back home, the Congressman has a reputation as a fierce warrior for the hard right in America: pro-gun, pro-limited government, anti-abortion and a leading critic of investigations into Mr Trump’s links with Russia.

He has even made enemies in his own party and led an internal push to dump then-Republican House Speaker John Boehner shortly before the 2018 US midterm elections, where the GOP suffered one of its worst losses since Watergate.

Mr Meadows’ visit to Australia along with other US Trump allies has raised the ire of the Opposition, with Labor’s home affairs spokeswoman Kristina Keneally accusing the Morrison Government of “importing people” who want to change Australian gun laws.

While the president of the National Rifle Association has called on Australia to weaken its gun laws recently, Mr Meadows denies he is trying to meddle with our stance on weapons.

“I can tell you there is no effort from this member of congress to do anything to change Australian gun laws,” he said. “Any suggestions this conservative conference is cover for a covert operation to change your laws is not based on fact.”

Senator Keneally — who grew up in the United States — has repeatedly attacked Cpac over recent weeks, most notably over the inclusion of far-right British journalists Raheem Kassam.

Mr Meadows yesterday attacked Labor’s attempts to vilify the conservative talk-fest and even took a dig at the Opposition’s election loss.

“It comes as no surprise to me that members of the Labor Party don’t want open and honest debate,” he said yesterday. “When there is open and honest debate between Liberal and Labor values, it’s the Liberals who win out with people.

“The most recent election was an indication that the liberal left — I mean liberal in an American context now — the far left often times has an agenda that does not put the wellbeing of families first.”

Australia’s relationship with President Trump and his administration has been markedly warmer than the President’s relations with other key US allies like Germany and Britain.

But there are significant concerns in this country about the effects the worsening US-China trade war will have on the Australian economy.

Mr Meadows said yesterday that the US did not want a trade war but had to stand up to China, and that the final outcome would ultimately benefit Australia.

“Obviously Australia has a different trading relationship with China than the US has,” he said.

“For us, it’s about playing by fair rules and it’s been a real concern for a long time.

“The economic power of China and its ability to bend the rules must be addressed.

“Nobody wants a trade war and we hope that it will end quickly and ends up ensuring everyone’s best interests is met, including Australia’s.”

Mr Trump has said he wants his ally Mr Meadows to remain in congress, where the president is short of allies both within and out of his own party, for the time being.

But Mr Meadows — who signalled last year he wanted to fill the chief of staff position after retired general John Kelly was sacked — says he is happy to serve the president.

“He’s making some very important and hard decisions for our country. And that doesn’t come without very aggressive pushback he does from the Left,” he told The Australian. “The best thing I can do is continue to serve this country and this president … whether that’s continuing to serve the people of my state or in a different capacity.”