‘Wrong morally’: Turnbull doubles down on Trump tirade

Former PM Malcolm Turnbull has reiterated his attack on Donald Trump, dismissing suggestions his rant on the eve of a tariff deadline is not in Australia’s national interest.

Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has doubled down in his tirade against Donald Trump, dismissing suggestions his antagonism of the US President on the eve of a tariff deadline is not in Australia’s national interest.

Mr Turnbull on Tuesday declared Mr Trump’s politics are “wrong morally” as he took aim at the ABC after two hosts questioned whether it was wise to make inflammatory comments about the US leader so close to the introduction of tariffs on steel and aluminium, from which Australia is seeking an exemption.

Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull with Donald Trump at the White House during the US President’s first term. Picture: Nathan Edwards

Mr Trump had earlier called Mr Turnbull “weak and ineffective” after the Australian ex-politician had described the US President as “chaotic, rude, abusive and erratic” in a recent interview.

Firing back, Mr Trump said people were “deluding themselves about Trump” and “failing to recognise that he says the quiet bits out loud”.

“America first — he wants to use American power and American strength, economic and military, to advantage America at the expense of others,” he told the ABC.

“Now that is … wrong. It’s wrong morally.”

Mr Turnbull said it would also result in a “downturn in economic activity around the world”.

“Maybe, as many people have said, a global recession, and it certainly advantages America’s rivals or competitors, whether it’s Russia or China, because the less attractive America is, the more people will say, ‘Well, you know, maybe we should pay more attention to the blandishments from Beijing’,” he said.

Mr Turnbull said Australia should have the “courage of our convictions” to call out Mr Trump, because “if we don’t again, we’ll just, we’ll become victims”.

The former PM also accused the ABC of being cowardly after radio national host Sally Sara questioned the logic in antagonising Mr Trump so close to the tariff deadline, a point 7.30 host Sarah Ferguson had also made on Monday night.

“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?” Mr Turnbull responded.

“Is that the depths you’ve sunk to?”

Mr Turnbull said he believed in standing up for Australia, and he was “sorry” but apparently Ms Sara did not.

Ms Sara replied asking Mr Turnbull not “put words in my mouth, with respect”.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said he would not be picking up the phone to ask Mr Turnbull to pull back his inflammatory comments about Mr Trump, arguing the focus should be on tariff exemption talks.

“I think the most important aspect now is not on the tit for tat, it’s on how we preserve Australian jobs, and that’s really in the hands of the Prime Minister,” he said.

Mr Dutton said tariffs would negatively impact Australian jobs and industry.

“So hopefully, (Ambassador to the US) Kevin Rudd and the Trade Minister and the Prime Minister have been on the phone and engaging with their counterparts in the United States to make sure that we can get a deal done,” he said.

“We have a trading surplus with the United States and it would be unjust for these tariffs to be applied, and I hope that the government has done the work to bring about the change.”

Originally published as ‘Wrong morally’: Turnbull doubles down on Trump tirade