Donald Trump accused an Australian journalist of “hurting” his country for asking him about his business dealings.
Mr Trump was speaking to the press on the White House lawn before leaving for his state visit to the UK when Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s Americas editor, John Lyons, asked how wealthier he had grown since returning as the president in January this year.
The question sparked a heated exchange during which Mr Trump appeared to confirm that he would meet Australian prime minister Antony Albanese, likely on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meeting in New York next week.
When the journalist asked how wealthier he had become since coming back to power, Mr Trump replied: “I don’t know.”
His children handled the family business now, he said. “But most of the deals that I’ve made were made before,” the president added. “This is what I have done for a life. I’ve built buildings.”
When Mr Lyons asked whether it was appropriate for a sitting US president to conduct business from the White House, Mr Trump claimed: “I’m really not, my kids are running the business.”
Upon learning that Mr Lyons was from Australia, Mr Trump said: “In my opinion, you’re hurting Australia very much right now.”
“And they want to get along with me. You know, your leader is coming over to see me very soon. I’m going to tell him about you. You set a very bad tone. You can set a nicer tone,” he added.
When Mr Lyons tried to ask another question, the president held his index finger to his lips before telling him: “Quiet.”
Shortly after, an official White House social media account shared a video of the exchange with the caption: “Trump smacks down a rude foreign Fake News loser.”
The Australian prime minister has been seeking a meeting with Mr Trump for months. They were expected to hold talks on the sidelines of the G7 summit in June but the meeting was cancelled at the last minute when the US president abruptly returned home.
Mr Albanese told ABC radio this week the two leaders would “see each other in New York”.
“He’s hosting a reception on Tuesday night of next week,” he said of Mr Trump. “And as well, we’ll see each other at various forums that are taking place between now and the end of the year. It’s summit season.”
The bilateral relationship between Washington and Canberra, the Pentagon’s review of the Aukus nuclear submarine deal, tariffs, and Mr Trump’s pressure on Australia to beef up its defence budget are likely to be the points of discussion at the forthcoming meeting.
