Donald Trump ‘could be our best friend ever’

If it conducts its alliance diplo­macy shrewdly, Canberra could have influence with US president-elect Donald Trump.

Mike Green, George W. Bush’s national security adviser for Asia, says Australia could have outsized influence with US president-elect Donald Trump.

If it conducts its alliance diplo­macy shrewdly, Canberra could have more influence with the ­administration of US president-elect Donald Trump than with any in American history, according to George W. Bush’s national security adviser for Asia.

“The conclusion (of some Australian commentators) that Australia should actively distance itself from America is exactly the reverse of what’s required,” Mike Green, now senior vice-president of the US Centre for Strategic and International Studies, told The Weekend Australian in a ­telephone interview from ­Washington.

“Australians could have more influence on this administration than on any other in American history.”

Former ambassador to Washington Kim Beazley echoed the thrust of this sentiment by reference to some of Mr Trump’s early ­appointments.

Mr Beazley was particularly impressed with former marine general Jim “Mad Dog” Mattis, who has been chosen as defence secretary. “I think Mattis is a very good choice,” Mr Beazley said.

“When you look at the others they were considering for Defence, he is head and shoulders above the rest. He starts as a very well regarded person. He loves Australia. We have a big in with Mattis.”

General Mattis is one of several key figures in the Trump camp who had close personal experience with Australian troops in ­Afghanistan or Iraq. When he was commander of the US forces in ­Afghanistan, General Mattis ­declared: “We marines would happily storm hell itself with your (Australian) troops on our right flank.”

Mr Beazley believes Canberra should be making a maximum ­effort with Mr Trump now, dispatching senior public servants to Washington, while the Trump ­administration is choosing its key people.

Peter Varghese, the former secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, holds the same view. “We certainly should be doing everything we can to have an intense dialogue with the Trump administration and we should be doing that straight away,” he said. “My view is the ­bilateral relationship under Trump won’t be a problem. We scrub up pretty well as an ally. We have a bigger stake in what Trump might do regionally.”

Meanwhile, because Mr Trump does not bring a detailed foreign policy agenda, Washington insiders told The Weekend Australian the first 12 months of the administration would see ­intense jockeying for position and influence.

The choice of a secretary of state will be critical. Early in the week, observers thought the odds were firming for former general David Petraeus. But Mr Trump has told his advisers that Mitt Romney is among the leading contenders for the job.

However, General Petraeus ­remains in the running, as do two other moderates, senator Bob Corker and former Utah governor Mike Huntsman.