Despite yesterday’s news that Malcolm Turnbull was on the receiving end of a savage slam dunk from Donald Trump over the refugee deal established with the US under Barack Obama, the word is that the deal itself is actually still on.
Australian refugee deal is going through, Spicer confirms, even though Trump is “extremely upset” with it. It will have “extreme vetting”
— Charlie Spiering (@charliespiering) February 2, 2017
The deal, which would have transferred 1,250 asylum seekers from Manus Island and Nauru to the US, was always going to be problematic if Donald Trump won. The vibe of proceedings is that Trump hates the deal, but is likely to accept the general thrust of it on the assumption he can extract something from Australia down the track.
White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer was quizzed about the deal in today’s White House press briefing, where he stressed that Trump respects Turnbull but does not like this deal one bit:
The president is unbelievably disappointed in the previous administration’s deal that was made and how poorly it was crafted and the threat to national security it put the United States on. The deal that was cut by the previous administration is something he is extremely, extremely upset with. He does not like it but out of respect for [Turnbull], he’s going to allow that process, continue to study it.
Here’s video:
Spicer says Pres. Trump has “tremendous respect” for Australian PM, but is “unbelievably disappointed” with previous refugee deal pic.twitter.com/0qV6sqf0KX
— CBS News (@CBSNews) February 2, 2017
Of course, Spicer’s claim that the deal will proceed with “extreme vetting” is questionable, with the vetting likely to be designed to be so severe that few if any will qualify for entry and residence in the United States.
Christopher Pyne appeared on Today this morning to make basically the same claim – that the deal is going ahead. He would say that, though.
“The deal will go ahead.” -cpyne #9Today pic.twitter.com/RKj1pqvBO9
— The Today Show (@TheTodayShow) February 2, 2017
Spare your thoughts for the people who are really suffering here: the refugees on Manus and Nauru, who have gone through unimaginable strife and abuse to receive this faint glimmer of hope. Turnbull? He can cop a roasting.
Source: Mediaite.
Photo: Getty Images / Joe Raedle.
