Trump to miss President’s Cup golf tournament in Melbourne

The impeachment saga has all but ended the prospect of Trump visiting Australia in his first term.

US President Donald Trump at his Turnberry golf resort in Scotland. Picture: AFP

The impeachment saga has all but ended the prospect of ­Donald Trump visiting Australia in his first term as US President.

With the house impeachment inquiry gathering pace and expected to last until at least the end of the year, Washington insiders­ say it is now impossible for Mr Trump to attend the Presidents Cup golf tournament in Melbourne next month.

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Even if such a visit were still possible logistically, insiders say that for political reasons the President could not be seen to travel around the world for a golf tournament while the house considers his impeachment.

The White House has not informe­d the Morrison government of any intention to proceed with the visit, which had been discussed informally — but was never confirmed — between Mr Trump and Scott Morrison during the Prime Minister’s visit to Washington in September. “We have talked about whether, if his schedule and Mrs Trump’s permits, will they take in the Presidents Cup later in the year,” Mr Morrison said as he sat with Mr Trump in the Oval ­Office.

“The PGA Tour invited me to go,’’ Mr Trump replied. “And I would love to do it. We’ll have to see what the schedule is, but I would love to do it. It’s a very excitin­g tournament. Nothing more exciting.”

Pre-planning had taken place for a possible presidential visit to Melbourne, where the tournament is being held between Decem­ber 9 and 15, and also to another city, most likely Sydney.

It was considered the only window for Mr Trump to visit Australia in his first term, given that next year is a presidential election year. It would be highly unlikely Mr Trump would travel to Australia then, so close to the November election. First lady Melania Trump has reportedly been pushing behind the scenes for Mr Trump to visit Australia.

The President was tentatively scheduled to visit in November last year as part of a visit that would have included the Asia-­Pacific Economic Co-operation forum summit in Papua New Guinea, but he decided against it.

Former president Barack Oba­ma visited twice: in 2014 for the G20 summit and 2011 for a bilateral meeting with then prime minister Julia Gillard. His pre­decessor George W. Bush visit­ed in 2007. Bill Clinton and George HW Bush both visited once during their presidencies but none of Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter, Gerald Ford and Richard Nixon visited the country. Lyndon Johnson visited in 1966, and again in 1967 for prime minister Harold Holt’s memorial service.

Cameron Stewart is also US contributor for Sky News Australia