‘Don’t give in to bullies’: Former Australian PM fires back after Trump calls him ‘weak’ in late-night rant
World: Former Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull described Trump’s remarks as “rude and abusive” and reiterated his belief that Trump’s behaviour was pushing nations closer to China
Former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has urged leaders to “not give in to bullies” following a scathing social media post from US President Donald Trump.
Trump took to his Truth Social platform just before midnight on Sunday, and criticised Turnbull’s leadership and his understanding of China.
“Malcolm Turnbull, the former Prime Minister of Australia who was always leading that wonderful country from ‘behind’ never understood what was going on in China, nor did he have the capacity to do so. I always thought he was a weak and ineffective leader and, obviously, Australian’s agreed with me!!!,” Trump wrote.
The comments appeared to be a response to an interview Turnbull gave to Bloomberg, in which he suggested that Trump’s erratic leadership style was playing into China’s hands.
“President Xi will aim to be the exact opposite of Trump: where Trump is chaotic, he will be consistent. Where Trump is rude and abusive, he’ll be respectful. Where Trump is erratic, he will be consistent,” Turnbull said.
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
How fast can the Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jet really fly?
)
Did China ask its people 'not to respond to aliens'? Origin of bizarre claim on social media
)
MS Dhoni-CSK Fallout? Report claims failed stake sale talks triggered rift
)
Scientists reveal the SAFEST COUNTRY when catastrophe strikes the planet
)
Serial killer on the loose in South Korea's Jeju Island? Fourth body found in three days as more than a dozen people go missing
)
2/3rd of glacier detached, collapsed: ISRO satellite images reveal what triggered Nepal floods
)
Trump once again claims without him there would be ‘no Israel right now’
)
Foreign espionage attacks against German companies surge to 37%, Bitkom report reveals
)
Blake Lively wins partial legal fee from Justin Baldoni after $8M request
)
Why is Pakistan deploying Turkish Bayraktar TB2 drones near India border?
)
'OH MY GOD! We've found other agents!': Investigators discover not one or two, almost 700 OpenAI AI agents went rogue, hacked Hugging Face
)
Lunar eclipse 2026: India timings, places to see and more. August Blood moon factsheet
)
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on global outreach tour
)
Both pilots killed as training aircraft crashes in Lucknow – What we know
)
16-year-old charged with preparing terror attack on kindergarten in Norway
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
How the S-400 protects itself from enemy attacks
)
Nepal floods: Over 165 dead, 400 missing; US, India, China, World Bank mobilise aid
)
India's multi-layered watch: The new surveillance war
)
5 doomsday planes spotted in US skies hours after CIA director's secret trip to Russia
)
9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed to finally face trial in 2028, nearly 27 years after horrific attacks
)
Islamabad hospital fire: What we know about one of the biggest facility that housed Imran Khan
)
Workers run for life while filming Nepal flash flood: Scary new visuals emerge from Rasuwa
)
Russian military planes enter South Korean air defence zone amid rising tensions with North Korea: What's happening
)
Ron Weasley Is Back! Rupert Grint set to return to Harry Potter universe on Broadway
)
400-year-old 'vampire' grave in Poland reveals non-existent genetic lineage
)
Dolly Parton, global icon and queen of country music, dies at 80
)
Nepal flash floods: Kailash Mansarovar yatra affected, close to 400 pilgrims out of contact
)
'If he is dead, they're putting on a pretty good show': Trump casts fresh doubt over Mojtaba Khamenei's fate
)
Man arrested near US Capitol with guillotine in pickup truck: What happened?
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the Su-30MKI cockpit is painted bright turquoise green
He warned that the world was now witnessing an “undiluted” version of Trump, arguing that his unpredictable nature made Chinese President Xi Jinping a more appealing partner for many nations.
“For countries forced to choose between ‘China on the one hand, and Trump on the other’, many would ‘find China a more attractive partner’,” Turnbull added.
Turnbull dismisses Trump’s criticism
Following Trump’s post, Turnbull told The Guardian that his Bloomberg comments “speak for themselves.”
“His [Trump’s] post proves that my comments hit the mark,” he said.
During an interview on ABC’s 7.30 with Sarah Ferguson on Monday night, Turnbull described Trump’s remarks as “rude and abusive” and reiterated his belief that Trump’s behaviour was pushing nations closer to China.
Also read: ‘Sorry I’m not in a suit’: Ukraine’s Zelensky makes sarcastic joke about Trump’s attire criticism
“If Trump abuses them, seeks to bully them, puts crippling tariffs on them, they will naturally edge closer to China,” Turnbull stated.
He warned against appeasing the US president, likening it to schoolyard dynamics.
“The reality is—if you suck up to bullies, whether it is... global affairs, or in the playground, you just get more bullying. I mean, are we just going to become just a conga line of sycophants creeping through the White House, paying homage to this guy and telling him he’s a genius? It’s ludicrous!” he said.
A history of clashes
Trump and Turnbull have clashed before. In 2017, they had a tense phone call over a refugee resettlement deal brokered by Trump’s predecessor, Barack Obama. Trump was highly critical of the agreement, saying accepting it would make him look like a “dope.”
“I have had it. I have been making these calls all day and this is the most unpleasant call all day. Putin was a pleasant call. This is ridiculous,” Trump reportedly said before ending the conversation.
Turnbull served as Australia’s prime minister from 2015 to 2018. He was not voted out in an election but lost the leadership in an internal Liberal Party contest to Scott Morrison.
(With inputs from agencies)
