‘He has got this’: PM swipes back at Trump after latest Iran criticism

Anthony Albanese has pushed back against Donald Trump after the US President again accused Australia of not doing enough to help in the Iran war.

“I’m not happy with Australia because they were not there when we asked them to be there,” Mr Trump told reporters overnight.

“They were not there, having to do with Hormuz. So I’m not happy, I’m not happy with them.”

It was the fourth such criticism.

Fresh off a diplomatic blitz in Southeast Asia to bolster fuel and fertiliser supplies amid disruptions caused by the conflict, the Prime Minister was asked to clarify what Mr Trump meant when he said “we asked (Australia) to be there”.

“Well, that’s a question for Donald Trump by definition, rather than by myself,” Mr Albanese told reporters from the fire-damaged Viva refinery in Geelong.

“We’ve engaged with the US administration constructively (and) will continue to do so.”

Pressed further, Mr Albanese insisted there have “been no new requests at all” and quipped that Mr Trump had made clear he had the conflict in hand.

“And indeed, President Trump has himself said that he has got this and he has made that position clear,” Mr Albanese said.

In a previous criticism, Mr Trump declared the US had “had such Military Success, we no longer “need,” or desire” allies’ help and that “WE NEVER DID!”

That outburst came after allies did not answer his call to form a naval coalition to protect ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian drones and missiles have made passage too perilous, cutting a fifth of the world’s oil supply and almost a third of global fertiliser supply.

Opposition defence spokesman James Paterson said earlier the tension between Canberra and Washington was “not a good state of affairs for our most important security relationship and alliance”.

Speaking to ABC’s Radio National, Senator Paterson said he understood “why many Australians do not approve of President Trump” but that “the reality is he is the president of our most important ally and he will be for the next three years”.

“So this is an important relationship that needs to be managed, and it’s very unfortunate that we have this contradiction between what the Australian government is saying (and) what the US government is saying,” he said.

“The Australian government asserts that there have been no requests to Australia, and I take them at their word.

“But President Trump has now repeatedly said there have been requests.

“And so my question is, what has the Prime Minister done to clarify this with President Trump? What has he done to clear this up? When is the last time he spoke to President Trump about this?”

Asked if Australia should help clear the Strait of Hormuz if requested, Senator Paterson said any request should be considered but that he was “very cautious about Australia potentially joining any offensive operations against Iran, including a blockade of Iran, which is effectively joining the war on the Islamic Republic regime”.

“I‘m much more open to Australia participating in a multinational force after the cessation of hostilities to help manage the Strait of Hormuz in that coalition, which is being led right now by the UK and France,” he said.

Mr Albanese is set to dial into European-led talks on Friday night to about a coalition to safeguard shipping in the strait once the fighting stops.

The virtual summit will not include the US or Iran, with French President Emmanuel Macron saying it would comprise of “countries prepared to contribute alongside us to a peaceful multinational mission aimed at restoring freedom of navigation in the strait”.

“This strictly defensive mission, separate from the warring parties to the conflict, is intended to be deployed as soon as circumstances permit,” he said earlier this week.

Australia has so far deployed a reconnaissance plane and dozens of defence personnel to the United Arab Emirates to help defend the Gulf state from Iranian attacks.

Australia has also sent defensive missiles to the UAE.