Trump rival urges us to be patient
POWERFUL US Senator John McCain has pleaded with the Australian public to be patient with the US as the new Trump administration “finds its feet”.
The 2008 US presidential candidate was speaking as a guest of the US Studies Centre at the State Library of NSW, his final engagement of a short visit to Australia as part of a tour of the Asia-Pacific region.
He asked the Australian public for its help “to stay true”, because “frankly, I don’t know how this will play out”.
“My friends, I know many Australians have questions about President Trump. Frankly, so do many Americans,” said the frequent critic of Mr Trump.
“The new administration is just that: new. It is still finding its feet.
“America needs Australia and our other allies now more than ever. We need your strength ... we need you to have faith in America and in the enduring value of our alliance.”
With long-standing alliances at a critical breaking point, Mr McCain said Australia was in a “unique position” to offer solace and insight.
He said the Trump administration was full of “decent, capable people”, including Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.
Despite mounting questions over ties with Russia, Mr McCain said people within the Trump administration “deserve your support and frankly need it”.
The 80-year-old also spoke of the problems plaguing the “new world order”.
Mr McCain urged Canberra and Washington to work together when dealing with the country he described as a bully – China.
The Senator described America’s withdrawal from the Trans Pacific Partnership as a “strategic mistake”, but there was an optimistic tone to most of the speech.
“No one has ever gotten rich betting against America, my friends, and now is not a good time to start,” he said.
“The President and I may differ at times, but not when it comes to rebuilding America’s military.
“Americans and Australians work together, serve together, sacrifice together every day. Our bond is deep and eternal.”