Trump asked Australia for help to discredit Russia probe
Australian PM Scott Morrison and US President Donald Trump
DonaldTrumpaskedAustraliato "assist" indiscreditingaRussiainvestigation that has clouded his presidency, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison admitting Tuesday that he agreed tohelp.
An Australian government spokesperson confirmedTrumpaskedMorrison to investigate issues raised in Robert Mueller'sprobe, which concluded thatRussiatried to swing the 2016 election in the Republican's favour.
The official saidAustralia"has always been ready to assist and cooperate with efforts thathelpshed further light on the matters under investigation".
"The PM confirmed this readiness once again in conversation with the President."
The revelation will fuel allegationsTrumpis using the power of the Oval Office and risking long-standing relationships with allies for his own political ends.
He is already facing impeachment for asking Ukraine's leader to investigate his potential election rival, former vice president Joe Biden, and his son Hunter.
Mueller'sprobeconcluded in March and led to the conviction of several ofTrump's top aides for obstruction and lying to investigators.
But ahead of the 2020 electionTrumphas painted theprobeand its findings as a "deep state" conspiracy, pointing to conservative media reports as evidence and urging the Justice Department to launch counter-investigations.
The New York Times, which first reportedTrump's Australian request, said the White House had restricted access to the transcript of theTrump-Morrison call, in a similar way to its handling ofTrump's recent call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Several other calls and meetings betweenTrumpand foreign leaders, includingRussia's Vladimir Putin are now under scrutiny.
Separately, the Washington Post reported that Attorney General Bill Barr has had multiple contacts with officials and spies inAustralia, Britain and Italy in a bid to investigate Mueller and US intelligence findings.
State visit
AtTrump's encouragement, Barr's Justice Department is examining the roots of the Muellerprobe, including the evidence that led the CIA, FBI and other intelligence agencies to declare thatRussiadid, in fact, interfere in 2016 to boostTrump.
Australiaand Britain were both important because the original FBIRussiameddlingprobewas launched in July 2016 after the bureau received a tip from an Australian diplomat in Britain about a meeting between people tied to Russian intelligence and aTrumpcampaign official.
In a May letter to Barr and White House chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney cited by Australian media Tuesdaythe country's ambassador in Washington also offered tohelp.
Morrison recently enjoyed a state visit to Washington and his close ties toTrumphad already been facing scrutiny at home.
"It was risky for the Morrison government to get so cosy withTrumpwhen almost no other government has done so," said Emma Shortis of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology.
"I think this development shows just how risky that is, Trumpwill come calling for favours, embroil you in controversy, and put relationships at risk", she added.
In a statement, the Justice Department defended contacts abroad and saidTrumpand Barr's roles were tohelpinvestigator John Durham make contacts.
"Mr Durham is gathering information from numerous sources, including a number of foreign countries," said Justice Department spokesperson Kerri Kupec.
"At Attorney General Barr's request, the president has contacted other countries to ask them to introduce the attorney general and Mr Durham to appropriate officials," she said.