Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs Donald Trump has lashed out at former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull after he suggested the U.S. president’s second term would benefit China.In a Sunday post on Truth Social, Trump accused Turnbull of being a “weak and ineffective leader” who never “understood” China.Newsweek has contacted Turnbull for comment via email.Why It MattersAustralia has seen Chinese warships circumnavigating the continent and conducting live drills off the coast of New Zealand in recent weeks. Beijing and Washington are currently jostling for influence in the vast Pacific, with the Chinese navy engaging in a show of force in the southern part of the ocean.
Donald Trump (R) and Malcolm Turnbull (L) walk toward podiums for a joint news conference in the East Room of the White House February 23, 2018 in Washington, D.C.
Donald Trump (R) and Malcolm Turnbull (L) walk toward podiums for a joint news conference in the East Room of the White House February 23, 2018 in Washington, D.C.
Alex Wong/Getty Images
What to KnowTurnbull served as Australia’s prime minister from 2015 to 2018, covering part of Trump’s first term in office.In an interview with Bloomberg Television, Turnbull suggested that Trump’s second term would be an “advantage” for Chinese President Xi Jinping due to the Republican’s chaotic leadership style.Turnbull added that some countries may view the U.S. under Trump as an unreliable partner and consider China a “more attractive” alternative over the next four years.Australia has been seeking an exemption from Trump’s planned 25 percent tariffs on foreign steel and aluminum imports. In 2018, Turnbull, then prime minister had managed to secure such an exemption during Trump’s first term.Turnbull also argued that Australia should consider how to defend itself independently of the U.S, citing what he considered to be Trump’s rude treatment of American allies.In January 2017, Trump and Turnbull had a heated exchange over a deal negotiated by Trump’s predecessor, Barack Obama, in the Democrat’s final weeks in the White House. The agreement saw the U.S. agree to resettle around 1,200 refugees held by Australia in detention centers on Nauru and Papua New Guinea’s Manus Island.Trump, known for his hard-line immigration policies, told Turnbull it was a “stupid deal” and would “make me look terrible,” according to a leaked transcript of their phone call. More than 1,100 refugees have since been resettled in the U.S. as part of the agreement, according to the Refugee Council of Australia.What People Are SayingPresident Donald Trump writing Truth Social: “Malcolm Turnbull, the former prime minister of Australia, who was always leading that wonderful country from ‘behind,’ never understood what was going on in China, nor did he have the capacity to do so. I always thought he was a weak and ineffective leader, and obviously, Australians agreed with me!!!”Former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull speaking to Bloomberg: “China will take massive advantage of Trump. My prediction is that the [Chinese] presidency will aim to be the exact opposite of Trump. Where Trump is chaotic, he will be consistent. Where Trump is rude and abusive, he’ll be respectful. Where Trump is erratic, he will be steady. And that will build trust with other countries. There will be many nations looking at China on one hand and Trump on the other, and they will find China a more attractive partner. So Trump is not just helping Vladimir Putin on the battlefield in Ukraine—which is bad enough—but by his own conduct, he is providing an opportunity for China to take a different approach than they did during Trump’s first term.””It appears that the more dependent you are on the United States, the closer you are to the United States, the more Trump feels he can extract value from you. Look at the business with Greenland. Is this Denmark’s reward for supporting the Americans in Afghanistan? To have their prime minister rung up and told that her country has to cede one of its territories? Is this Canada’s reward for decades of solidarity and alliance? To be told they should just be the [U.S.’s] 51st state and then be threatened with tariffs that could send the country into a recession? Yes, he is the president of the United States, but that is really the only thing he has in common with his predecessors. This is a very different America led by a very different president.”A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C., previously told Newsweek after Trump doubled tariffs on Chinese imports: “Bullying does not work on us. Pressuring, coercion, or threats are not the right way to deal with China. Anyone using maximum pressure on China is picking the wrong fight and miscalculating. If the U.S. has another agenda in mind—if war is what the U.S. wants, be it a tariff war, a trade war, or any other type of war—we are ready to fight until the end.”What Happens NextTrump’s 25 percent tariffs on foreign steel and aluminum imports are set to take effect on March 12, unless Prime Minister Anthony Albanese secures an exemption.
