Turnbull gets Trump-brand tie during church visit
sydney — Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who at times has had frosty relations US President Donald Trump, received a pink Trump-branded tie on Sunday as a gift during a visit to a Coptic Orthodox church.
Turnbull appeared bemused after receiving the silk necktie from Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria and Coptic Orthodox Bishop Daniel at the St Mark Coptic Orthodox Church in Sydney.
Turnbull had a famously difficult first telephone call in January with Trump, who became irritated that he was expected to honour a refugee resettlement agreement made by his predecessor, Barack Obama.
Trump broke off what was supposed to be an hour-long call after 25 minutes and later tweeted that the refugee deal was “dumb”.
When the two leaders met face-to-face in New York in May, Trump said that their first phone call “got a little bit testy” but they now “get along great”.
Last week, the White House brushed off news a leaked video of Turnbull making fun of Trump during a news media ball in the Australian capital Canberra that was supposed to have been off the record. —