Former Australian Prime Minister: "Trump Makes China's Xi Jinping Appear Charismatic"

Malcolm Turnbull Criticizes Trump's Approach to Allies in Bloomberg Interview
Trump Responds Sharply on Social Media: "He Doesn't Understand"

Malcolm Turnbull, former Prime Minister of Australia

Former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull pointed out on the 9th (local time) that U.S. President Donald Trump's approach to traditional allies makes Chinese President Xi Jinping appear as a "more attractive diplomatic partner."

In an interview with Bloomberg News in the U.S. on the same day, Turnbull said, "President Trump is showing a more 'rough and bold' side in his second term." He led Australia from 2015 to 2018 and experienced the first Trump administration.

In particular, he analyzed that Trump's chaotic policies, commonly referred to as the so-called 'Madman' strategy, will instead make President Xi shine brighter. He noted, "The more chaotic Trump is, the more consistent Xi will remain."

Turnbull warned that Trump's way of dealing with allies will become increasingly coercive. He said, "The closer a country is to the U.S., the more Trump will demand. He will threaten, pressure, and demand more from allies," citing Denmark and Canada as representative cases.

Denmark supported the U.S. in the Afghanistan war, and Canada has maintained a close alliance with the U.S. for decades. President Trump has repeatedly expressed his intention to purchase Greenland from Denmark and told Canada that "it would be better to become the U.S.'s '51st state,'" which sparked outrage among Canadian citizens.

Turnbull believed that Australia would find it difficult to easily obtain tariff exemptions as it did during Trump's first term. Earlier, during the first Trump administration in 2018, the president imposed tariffs of 25% on steel and 10% on aluminum citing national security, but after a phone call with Prime Minister Turnbull, he excluded Australia from the tariffs, saying "he promised to maintain a very fair and reciprocal military and trade relationship." He pointed out, "Trump would be concerned that if one country is exempted, others will demand the same, eventually rendering the tariff policy meaningless."

Meanwhile, President Trump reacted angrily immediately after Turnbull's remarks. Through his social media platform Truth Social, he criticized, "Turnbull had no understanding of what is happening in China, nor the ability to understand it," adding, "The Australian people thought the same as I did, which is why they did not choose him as their leader."