Donald Trump planned to lie on tariffs to Turnbull
Donald Trump planned to falsely deny to Malcolm Turnbull that he had ever given a promise to exempt Australia from tariffs.
Donald Trump told his chief economic adviser in February that he would falsely deny to Malcolm Turnbull that he had ever given a promise to exempt Australia from his proposed tariffs on steel and aluminium.
The exchange, as recounted in Bob Woodward’s new book on Donald Trump, supports other sources who say that the US President tried at the last minute to back out of giving Australia an exemption from the tariffs. According to Woodward’s book — Fear: Trump in the White House, an advance copy of which has been obtained by The Weekend Australian — the President promised an exemption to the then prime minister Turnbull at the G20 summit in Hamburg last year after inviting him into a secret room where non-Americans were banned. “At the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany, in early July, Trump wanted to talk with Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull,” Woodward writes.
“In violation of security rules he invited Turnbull into his Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF). Only those with the highest US security clearances for Top Secret Sensitive Compartmented Information were allowed in the SCIF. It was an absolute rule, intended to prevent someone planting listening devices. This facility, a large steel room, had to be torn down after the meeting.”
Woodward says the relationship between the pair had been difficult since the first week of the administration, when the two men spoke by phone and argued over the refugee deal that had been brokered in the dying days of the Obama administration.
“As he went to the meeting with Trump in Germany, Turnbull was aware of the debate within the White House about possible tariffs on steel imported into the United States,” Woodward writes.
Mr Turnbull was quoted as saying: “If you do ever put steel tariffs on, you’ve got to exempt Australian steel. We do this steel that’s specialty steel. We’re the only one that produces it in the world. You’ve got to let us out. You’ve got a $40 billion trade surplus with us. We’re military allies with you. We’re in every battle with you.”
Woodward writes that Mr Trump replied: “Of course, we’ll let you out. That makes total sense. You guys are great. We’ve got a big surplus with you guys.”
Mr Trump’s then economic adviser Gary Cohn, who was in the meeting, was reportedly pleased. Woodward writes that nearly eight months later, on February 23 this year, Mr Turnbull arrived at the White House to see the President.
“In the prep session in the Oval Office for the meeting, Cohn reminded Trump of his pledge,” Woodward writes.
He quotes Mr Cohn as saying: “Mr President, the first thing he’s going to bring up is the steel tariffs. And he’s going to remind you that you let him out.”
“I don’t remember,” Mr Trump, who was sitting behind the Resolute Desk, is said to have replied. “Well, sir,” Mr Cohn continued, “you had the conversation with him …”
“I’m going to deny it,” Mr Trump replied. “I never had that conversation with him.”
“Okay, sir, just reminding you that it’s going to come up,” Mr Cohn said.
Woodward writes that “Cohn had witnessed this for over a year — denial when needed or useful or more convenient”.
He says that at the lunch in February, Turnbull “carefully stepped Trump through their time at the G20 the previous summer”. Woodward recounts their conversation: “Remember we were in Hamburg?” the Prime Minister said.
“Yes,” Mr Trump said.
Mr Turnbull: “You took me back in your secure facility?”
Mr Trump: “Oh, yeah, I remember that. My security guys were so pissed. They couldn’t believe I did it.”
Mr Turnbull: “Remember what conversation we had?”
Woodward writes that Mr Trump nodded and Mr Turnbull continued: “We were talking about specialty steel that Australia exclusively produces … and you agreed to let me out of any steel tariff?”
“Oh, yeah,” Mr Trump replied, “I guess I remember that.”
Woodward writes: “Australian steel was later exempted.”
Cameron Stewart is also US contributor for Sky News Australia
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