Lawmakers on both sides of Capitol Hill are rushing to assure two key U.S. allies that they are still America’s friend in the wake of President Trump’s rough treatment of Mexico and Australia.
Three Democratic members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee introduced a resolution Tuesday that would reaffirm the U.S.-Mexico relationship and state it is one based on “mutual respect.”
New York’s Eliot Engel, the panel’s top Democrat, and Reps. Albio Sires of New Jersey and Joaquin Castro of Texas called on Trump to “prioritize this strategic alliance.”
Monday night, Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., took to the Senate floor to extoll Australia’s virtues.
“[I]t is always appropriate for the United States Senate to reaffirm the importance of that relationship,” Alexander said. “The people of the United States do not have better friends than the people of Australia,” Alexander added.
Alexander and Sens. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., Marco Rubio, R-Fla., Cory Booker, D-N.J., Chris Coons, D-Del., Dick Durbin, D-Ill., Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii and Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., also introduced a resolution underscoring Alexander’s comments.
An “alliance bond is a sacred vow of friendship and trust, and Australia has always been a faithful and reliable partner to the United States,” their resolution reads.
Engel and Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif., introduced a corresponding resolution in the House.
Trump was reportedly rude to Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull during a phone call last week, although Turnbull has since disputed that characterization. Trump did criticize the agreement Turnbull and President Obama reached to bring Syrian refugees temporarily in Australia to the U.S.
“Do you believe it?” Trump tweeted. “The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal!”
And Trump enraged Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto last month by saying he would insist that Mexico pay for the wall Trump wants to build along the U.S.-Mexico border, prompting Pena Nieto to cancel a planned meeting with Trump at the White House.
