President Trump on Thursday condemned the media for exaggerating reports of a tense phone conversation he had with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull three months ago about a refugee resettlement deal that the Obama administration made with Australia.
He made the comment following a meeting with Turnball in New York, which he was late for after staying in Washington, D.C., to celebrate the House passage of a bill to repeal and replace Obamacare
Turnball congratulated Trump on his “big day.”
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull congratulates President Trump on his "big day" https://t.co/oIDEACFMak— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) May 5, 2017
When asked about the refugee deal, which would transfer up to 1,250 refugees held in offshore detention centers, Trump said it has all been worked out and that they had a “good telephone call.”
Turnball agreed. “We had a great call,” he said.
“You exaggerated that call,” Trump said. “That was a big exaggeration. We had a great call. We’re not babies but we had a great call.”
Trump reportedly had a heated phone conversation with Turnball which addressed the deal in February, calling it a “dumb deal.”
His vice president, Mike Pence, already said in April, upon visiting Australia, that Trump decided he would honor the deal.
Trump also announced his intention to visit Australia, though he didn’t provide a timeline.
Later in the evening, during an event aboard the decommissioned USS Intrepid on Manhattan’s West Side, Trump again claimed he and Turnball “really didn’t have a rough phone call,” but also admitted that it did get “a little bit testy.”
“Everyone is talking about this phone call,” he said. “Now the record is straight, all of those people there,” Trump continued as he pointed to the media in the back of the room.
Then Trump seemed to reverse his position, adding, “It got a little bit testy but that’s okay. We have a very good relationship and I’ve very proud to it.”
