Australia has refused to accept them and instead pays for them to be housed on the islands.
“I can assure you the relationship is very strong,” Mr. Turnbull said. “The fact we received the assurance that we did, the fact that it was confirmed, the very extensive engagement we have with the new administration underlines the closeness of the alliance. But as Australians know me very well- I stand up for Australia in every forum public or private.”
Yet shortly after Mr. Turnbull made those comments to reporters, Mr. Trump took to Twitter to slam the deal.
“Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why?” Trump tweeted. “I will study this dumb deal!”
Mr. Trump, who a day before the conversation with Mr. Turnbull had signed an executive order suspending the admission of refugees, complained during the call that he was “going to get killed” politically by the deal, the newspaper reported, citing anonymous officials.
“I don’t want these people,” he reportedly said. Mr. Trump also told Mr. Turnbull that he had spoken to four world leaders that day and that, “This is the worst call by far.”
