Mr Trump kept Malcolm Turnbull waiting for three hours for their scheduled meeting, but the Australian Prime Minister enthusiastically appeared to lap up every moment with the US president in New York on Thursday.
Mr Trump reciprocated with kind words for Mr Turnbull and Australia.
Both leaders wanted the world to see during their night out on the USS Intrepid aircraft carrier they were mates, despite a Washington Post report that Mr Trump had described their testy January phone call as the “worst call by far.”
“We get along great. We had a very, very good call,” the president said.
“It was a little bit of fake news – that’s the expression.”
Mr Turnbull agreed.
“Exactly right,” the prime minister said.
The refugee deal struck with the Obama administration that reportedly so upset the president was now “all worked out”, Mr Trump said.
Mr Trump and Mr Turnbull were scheduled to meet three hours earlier in Manhattan’s Peninsula Hotel, but the president scored the biggest victory of his 100 or so days in the White House when the US House of Representatives voted to repeal Obamacare on Thursday.
Mr Trump stayed longer in Washington DC to hold a press event to celebrate the win and the delayed meeting was switched to the Intrepid, where a black tie event honouring the 75th anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea against the Japanese was held.
Seven Australian and US veterans of the World War II battle, all aged in their 90s and some in wheelchairs, were celebrated.
The event, organised by the American Australian Association, raised $US2.5 million for college scholarships for Australian and US veterans.
Golfer Greg Norman, News Corp chairman Rupert Murdoch and actor John Travolta were among the 700 guests.
First Lady Melania Trump sat between her husband and Australian billionaire businessman Anthony Pratt, who announced during the event Pratt Industries would spend $US2 billion in the US to create 5000 high-paying jobs.
Mr Pratt said Mr Trump had made “America the greatest place in the world to manufacture”.
Mr Trump gave him a standing ovation, but later had a dig.
“That’s peanuts for Anthony,” Mr Trump said.
“You can do better than that.”
Mr Pratt is apparently only one of the many friends Mr Trump has in Australia and the president vowed to visit.
“One of the great, great places,” he enthused.
“I have so many friends there. I will be there. We will be there absolutely.”
Before the event Mr Trump and Mr Turnbull spent 40 minutes in private together and were joined by their wives towards the end of the meeting.
Their meeting was described as “very warm, lengthy and productive” discussing national, regional and global security including the threat posed by North Korea.
During his address Mr Trump went off script and back to that phone call.
“We really didn’t have a rough phone call,” he said.
But, with a twinkle in his eye, he conceded it may have got a little rough.
“It got a little bit testy, but that’s OK,” the president said.
“We have a very good relationship and I’m very proud of the relationship.
“Thank you very much Malcolm.”
Source: Trump, Turnbull engage in lovefest | Perth Now
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