Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., called President Trump’s dispute with Australia “unnecessary and harmful” on Thursday a day after it emerged that Trump held a tense weekend call with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull over a prior deal to take in refugees.
Speaking with CNN, the Senate Armed Services Committee chairman pointed to the long-lasting U.S. relationship with Australia, including their work alongside the United States in Vietnam.
“Australia fought alongside us in wars, including losing over 500 brave Australians in the Vietnam War, which some of us remember,” McCain said. “This, in my view, was an unnecessary and, frankly, harmful open dispute over an issue which is not nearly as important as United States/Australian cooperation, working together, including training of our Marines in Australia and other areas of military cooperation and intelligence.”
His comments came a day after the Washington Post reported that Trump and Turnbull held what Trump reportedly deemed to be “the worst call” of the day, which included talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
During the call, Trump slammed an agreement Turnbull had made with the Obama administration where the U.S. will take in 1,250 refugees from an Australian detention center.
“This is the worst deal ever,” Trump reportedly fumed. The call, which was initially scheduled to last an hour, was cut short after only 25 minutes.
