U.S.: Trump ‘unbelievably disappointed’ in Australia deal
WASHINGTON — The White House on Thursday deepened its condemnation of an Obama administration refugee deal with Australia, saying President Donald Trump was “unbelievably disappointed” in the agreement.
Asked whether the deal would continue, Mr. Trump said ,“We’ll see what happens .” However, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull told Australians that the U.S. president has committed to following through with the agreement to allow mostly Muslim refugees to resettle in the United States.
The agreement was a source of friction during a recent phone call between Mr. Trump and Mr. Turnbull, according to an administration official, and the conversation was seen as threatening to develop into a diplomatic rift between two stalwart allies. The call ended after less than 30 minutes, well earlier than scheduled, though the official disputed reports that Mr. Trump hung up on the prime minister. The U.S. official spoke on condition of anonymity.
The Obama administration agreed to resettle refugees from among about 1,600 asylum-seekers, most of whom are on island camps on the Pacific nations of Nauru and Papua New Guinea. Australia has refused to accept them and instead pays for them to be housed on the impoverished islands.
The White House suggested Thursday that the agreement would continue, with spokesman Sean Spicer saying any of the refugees who come to the United States would undergo “extreme vetting.” He said the new president was “extremely upset” to have inherited the deal.
Top White House officials and even Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., tried to clean up the diplomatic mess Thursday.
Mr. Trump, in a speech Thursday, appeared to acknowledge the tense phone call, as well as tough talk in an earlier call with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, though the White House said the comments in that conversation were made in a “lighthearted” manner.
“Believe me. When you hear about the tough phone calls I’m having, don’t worry about it. Just don’t worry about it,” Mr. Trump said at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington.