Labor's worst anti-Trump attacks exposed as US alliance in jeopardy
SkyNews.com.au has uncovered the worst posts made by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his most senior ministers about US President Donald Trump, which experts warn have 'sabotaged' relationships and plunged Australia into diplomatic crisis.
At least a dozen senior ministers have publicly attacked Donald Trump on social media, with some politicians describing him as a threat to democracy and a liar.
In posts from 2021, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called on the former Morrison government to publicly condemn Trump and accused him of inciting violence.
Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong, whose role involves dealing with the Trump administration, alleged that he had 'incited violence', and that he was 'bad for allies'.
Attacks ranged from allegations Trump was stoking 'fear and rage' to engaging in 'anti-democratic actions', while in one childish criticism, a senior minister mocked Trump as a liar who wore a "toupee".
The Labor politicians made the comments on social media at a time when it appeared unlikely that the US President would return for a second term.
But experts have since said the White House would be acutely aware of the social media rhetoric and warned it has destabilised relations. Read the social media posts that could undermine the alliance
Labor figures holding some of the most senior roles in government, including Mr Albanese, used their time in opposition to launch scathing attacks on President Trump.
The ministers often accused the US President of anti-democratic behaviour and aligned him with the 'far right' of politics, likening Coalition leaders to him as an insult.
Mr Albanese, while opposition leader in 2021, accused President Trump of 'anti-democratic' actions, peddling 'nonsense' and encouraging 'violent insurrection'.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong was similarly critical, saying, 'Donald Trump undermined American democracy'.
She was filmed in 2021 saying the US President was 'prepared to trash alliances and partnerships for personal political interest'. — Senator Penny Wong (@SenatorWong) January 12, 2021
Treasurer Jim Chalmers endorsed the view that 'Trumpism puts Australia in danger' and shared with his followers that President Trump was brought to power by 'fear and rage'.
Education Minister Jason Clare at the time described former prime minister Scott Morrison's political style as 'Trump without the toupee'.
He said the 'Trump playbook' involved 'lying, denying, never taking responsibility' and 'pandering to the extreme right'.
Resources Minister Madeleine King admitted, 'Oh I hate the idea of following Trump on Twitter… but I think I might have to'.
Communications Minister Anika Wells questioned what kind of world her daughter would grow up in after President Trump was elected.
Industry Minister Tim Ayres described Trump's politics as 'far-right' and Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke warned against introducing 'the politics of Trump to Australia.'
Environment Minister Murray Watt, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister Patrick Gorman and Assistant Minister for Women Rebecca White all made similarly unflattering remarks. Trump administration aware of attacks
Former Trump campaign insider Brent Buchanan told Sky News that the US administration would be aware of the verbal attacks, and they won't be forgotten.
The revelations come as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese remains unable to secure a meeting with President Trump and the US alliance is called into question.
Founder of the polling firm Cygnal, Mr Buchanan confirmed the Trump administration would be aware of the numerous anti-Trump comments made by the ministers.
"I don't expect Trump himself pays much attention to what ministers say, but I can tell you his team does,' Mr Buchanan said.
'When it comes time to interact with the Australian government, they'll give him an update because he wants to know what motivates people.
'And if the Left in Australia suffers from some form of international Trump Derangement Syndrome, that'll frame his thinking and dealings.'
Mr Buchanan also warned there is a difference between 'trading political barbs during a campaign' and 'personal attacks on the world stage'.
He warned that the government's tone may risk undermining diplomatic relations 'at a time when the US-Australian alliance is so important amid several security challenges.' Labor's 'deep-seated anti-American sentiment'
Senior fellow at the Institute of Public Affairs and former Washington correspondent Adam Creighton told Sky News the long-standing US-Australia relationship was at a 'low ebb'.
'There is a deep-seated anti-American sentiment that is shared by numerous senior members of the federal government,' he said.
'This disdain for our most important ally leaves us vulnerable and demonstrates we are poor partners in trade and security.
'The last thing Australia needs is a federal government that is deliberately sabotaging our long-term relationships with trusted partners, particularly our number one ally, the United States.'
Mr Creighton also pointed to Mr Albanese's decision to stick with Kevin Rudd as ambassador to the US despite the fact the Trump administration has little time for him.
Mr Rudd was recently deemed the 'biggest issue' blocking any future meeting between Mr Albanese and President Trump.
'Many have said for a long time that Kevin Rudd will be persona non grata in the Trump administration — and this has proven to be true,' he said.
'The Prime Minister is delusional if he thinks Kevin Rudd is the best person to represent Australia in Washington DC.
'Why is the Prime Minister undermining our national security by sticking with Rudd when he has proven to have absolutely no ability to work with President Trump?' Albanese 'not worried'
While the Albanese government has claimed the alliance with the US remains solid, Mr Albanese has been incapable of organising a meeting with President Trump.
Their previously scheduled meeting at the G7 was abruptly cancelled and President Trump did not contact Mr Albanese afterwards, despite contacting other world leaders.
Speaking at Sky News' Australia's Economic Outlook forum on Friday, he insisted that a meeting with President Trump would take place before the end of the year.
'Well, of course we will have meetings, there will be a range of meetings between now and the end of the year with President Trump,' he said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
AU Financial Review
25 minutes ago
- AU Financial Review
Why Trump shifted the goalposts on both tariffs and Gaza
Back at work after the Independence Day long weekend, US President Donald Trump gave himself a bit of breathing room on two policy issues that have dragged on and proved particularly stubborn to resolve. On Monday (Tuesday AEST), he was set to sign an executive order pushing the deadline for the imposition of retaliatory tariffs on trading partners to August 1, out from the original plan of July 9 – or Wednesday this week.
ABC News
25 minutes ago
- ABC News
Jeffrey Epstein 'client list' does not exist, US Justice Department says
The US Justice Department says Jeffrey Epstein did not maintain a "client list" and it will not be releasing any more files publicly about the wealthy financier's sex trafficking investigation. The acknowledgement that the well-connected Epstein did not have a list of clients to whom underage girls were trafficked represents a public walk-back of a theory the Trump administration had helped promote, with Attorney-General Pam Bondi suggesting in a Fox News interview earlier this year that such a document was "sitting on my desk" for review. Even as it released video from inside a New York jail meant to prove definitively that Epstein killed himself, the department also said in a memo that it was refusing to disclose other evidence investigators had collected. For weeks, Ms Bondi had suggested more material would be revealed. "It's a new administration and everything is going to come out to the public," she said. However, the first document dump angered US President Donald Trump's base by failing to deliver any new revelations. Far-right influencers were invited to the White House in February and provided with binders marked "The Epstein Files: Phase 1" and "Declassified" that contained documents that had mostly already been in the public domain. After the first release fell flat, Ms Bondi said officials were poring over a "truckload" of previously withheld evidence she said had been handed over by the FBI. In a March TV interview, she claimed the Biden administration "sat on these documents, no one did anything with them". "Sadly, these people don't believe in transparency, but I think more unfortunately, I think a lot of them don't believe in honesty," she said. But after a months-long review of evidence in the government's possession, the Justice Department determined that no "further disclosure would be appropriate or warranted". It said in a memo that much of the material was sealed by a court to protect victims and "only a fraction" of it would have been aired publicly if Epstein had gone to trial. "One of our highest priorities is combating child exploitation and bringing justice to victims," the memo said. "Perpetuating unfounded theories about Epstein serves neither of those ends." The two-page memo bore the logos of the Justice Department and the FBI but was not signed by any individual official. Conservatives who have sought proof of a government cover-up of Epstein's activities and death expressed outrage on Monday over the department's position. Far-right influencer Jack Posobiec posted: "We were all told more was coming. That answers were out there and would be provided. Incredible how utterly mismanaged this Epstein mess has been. And it didn't have to be." Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones wrote that "next the DOJ will say 'Actually, Jeffrey Epstein never even existed,'" calling it "over the top sickening". Elon Musk shared a series of photos of a clown applying makeup, which appeared to mock Ms Bondi for saying the client list did not exist after suggesting months ago that it was on her desk. Among the evidence that the Justice Department says it has in its possession, and will not be releasing, are images of Epstein, "images and videos of victims who are either minors or appear to be minors", and more than 10,000 "downloaded videos and images of illegal child sex abuse material and other pornography". The memo does not provide details on what was in the videos, when they were taken, or whether they were newly discovered by investigators. Multiple people who participated in the criminal cases of Epstein and socialite former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell said they had not seen and did not know of a trove of recordings along the lines of what Ms Bondi had referenced. Indictments and detention memos also do not allege the existence of video recordings, and neither Epstein nor Maxwell were charged with possession of child sex abuse material, even though that would have been easier for prosecutors to prove than the sex trafficking counts they faced. AP found a reference in a filing in a civil lawsuit to the discovery by the Epstein estate of videos and pictures that could constitute child sex abuse material. But lawyers involved in that case said a protective order prevented them from discovering the specifics of that evidence. The Justice Department did not respond to questions about the videos. Epstein was found dead in his jail cell in August 2019, weeks after his arrest on sex trafficking charges, in a suicide that foreclosed the possibility of a trial. The department's disclosure that Epstein took his own life is hardly a revelation, even though conspiracy theorists have continued to challenge that conclusion. In November 2019, for instance, then-attorney-general William Barr said he had reviewed security footage that revealed that no one entered the area where Epstein was housed on the night he died and expressed confidence that Epstein's death was a suicide. More recently, FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Director Dan Bongino have insisted in television and podcast interviews that the evidence was clear that Epstein had killed himself. AP
ABC News
42 minutes ago
- ABC News
Federal politics live: Government says 'nothing has changed' as Trump unveils tariff letters
A Labor frontbencher has reassured "nothing has changed" for Australia after Donald Trump took to social media to unveil new tariffs. Follow all the updates in our live blog.
