Donald Trump has clashed with an Australian journalist after being asked about his business dealings while serving in office, accusing him of "hurting Australia" with the line of questioning.
The US president was pressed by John Lyons of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) on how much richer he had become since returning to the White House in January.
"I don't know," Trump responded, insisting that his children were the ones managing the family empire. "In my opinion, you are hurting Australia very much right now, and they want to get along with me."
He went on to say he would be meeting Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese "very soon", adding: "I'm going to tell him about you. You set a very bad tone."
As Lyons attempted a follow-up, Trump raised his finger to his lips, told him "quiet," and shifted to address another reporter.
The encounter comes at a time when Albanese has been pushing for direct talks with Trump. Their earlier planned engagement collapsed in June after Trump abruptly left the G20 summit to deal with the Middle East conflict.
Speaking on ABC radio on Monday, Albanese confirmed that he will meet Trump in New York next week during the UN General Assembly. "He's hosting a reception on Tuesday night of next week. And as well, we'll see each other at various forums that are taking place between now and the end of the year," he said.
Tensions between Washington and Canberra have grown in recent months. The Trump administration announced a review of the Aukus defence pact, a massive £176bn (Sh30.96 trillion) submarine programme signed in 2021 by the US, UK and Australia.
In April, the White House also slapped a minimum 10% tariff on Australian exports, prompting Albanese to remark it was "not the act of a friend."
Reacting to Trump’s comments, Lyons dismissed the suggestion that his questions could damage relations between the two allies. "For me, it was a perfectly normal thing to do to ask questions that I don't think were provocative," he said, noting that his enquiries were based on research and asked respectfully.
The ABC said Lyons’ queries were part of a Four Corners investigation into Trump’s business activities since his return to the presidency.
Not long after the exchange, the official White House social media account shared the clip, captioning it: Trump "smacks down a rude foreign Fake News loser".
