US President Donald Trump has launched a scathing attack on former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, branding him “weak and ineffective” in a late-night social media post.
The tirade, posted on Trump’s Truth Social platform just before midnight in Washington DC, was seemingly in response to Turnbull’s recent interview with Bloomberg, in which he criticised Trump’s leadership as chaotic and a potential boon for China.
“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,” Trump wrote.
“I always thought he was a weak and ineffective leader and, obviously, Australians agreed with me!!!”
Turnbull had warned that Trump’s erratic leadership in a second term would allow China’s President Xi Jinping to appear as a more stable global leader.
“President Xi 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 disciplined,” Turnbull said in the interview.
Turnbull also suggested that Trump’s unpredictability would make China a more attractive partner for other nations weighing their geopolitical alliances.
When contacted for comment, Turnbull remained unfazed. “His [Trump’s] post proves that my comments hit the mark,” he told The Guardian.
Trump and Turnbull have clashed before. Their relationship soured early in Trump’s first term, most notably in 2017 during an acrimonious phone call about a refugee resettlement deal negotiated by former US President Barack Obama.
Trump reportedly fumed over the agreement, telling Turnbull,
“I have had it. I have been making these calls all day and this is the most unpleasant call all day. Putin was a pleasant call. This is ridiculous.”
Despite their rocky start, Turnbull later secured an exemption from Trump’s first round of tariffs on steel and aluminium. Now, as Trump weighs up whether to grant Australia another exemption from renewed 25% tariffs on metals, the latest war of words could complicate diplomatic efforts.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has downplayed the row, stating his government would continue to engage “constructively” with the Trump administration.
“We are partners with the United States through our free trade agreement, and we’ll continue to advocate for Australia’s national interest.”
With a final decision on the tariffs expected within days, Trump’s latest outburst adds a layer of uncertainty to an already tense trade negotiation.
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