Donald Trump might be crudely merciless to his and America’s enemies, but he is generous and gracious to friends. He also doesn’t forget a slight. Consider his meeting with former Australian prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, who got bounced while Trump tackled an Obamacare vote, and then treated to a polite, but perfunctory meeting.
Scott Morrison, on the other hand, got the royal treatment.
At every turn, the boy from the Shire was greeted with such pomp, ceremony and top-shelf attention from the President that the hard-nosed White House press corp started asking “what’s all this about?”.
Even Mr Morrison seemed in shock about the stunning state dinner hosted by the President, where a line of trumpeters appeared on the roof of the White House to play Waltzing Matilda […]the White House had to call in experts to ask if the roof could take the weight of the band but the President and first lady Melania Trump wanted it to happen — and it did.
This is only the second time Trump has staged a ceremonial welcome for a foreign leader, an honour which the White House hasn’t extended to an Australian prime minister since John Howard, 13 years ago.
Trump went all out to make it personal, too.
[Morrison] spoke of how the President had surprised him when, while giving the dinner toast, he read a poem written by Mr Morrison’s great-great aunt, Mary Gilmore, whose words are printed on Australia’s $10 note.
“I heard the start of the poem and I said, ‘that’s Aunt Mary’s poem!’ I’ll have to tell him that when he’s finished,” Mr Morrison laughed. “And he ended up telling me so you know that’s the sort of detail that shows an affection, it just shows a closeness.”
So, why is Trump going all-out for the Australian prime minister? The reasons are both personal and strategic. Firstly, Trump sees an echo of his own victory in the way Morrison defied the media and the polls to win. Secondly, Trump is reminding China that bribing Pacific micro-nations is all well and good, but Australia remains a key US ally.
Secondly, by embracing Mr Morrison in such an ostentatious way, the President is sending a message to China that there is a formidable alliance building against Beijing’s attempts at strategic and economic hegemony in the region.
Thirdly, by choosing to visit Mr Pratt’s new plant in rural Ohio, Mr Trump is sending a message about job growth and hope to his own midwest voters while also giving a very public vote of confidence in economic and investment ties between Australia and the US.
theaustralian.com.au/nation/not-just-any-beersnsnags-bbq
Investment and strategy were the backdrop to all the ceremony. Morrison is particularly keen to see Australia buy into the US side in the new space race.
Australia will invest A$150 million ($101 million) in its companies and technology to help U.S. President Donald Trump’s bid for a moon landing by 2024 and subsequent U.S. missions to Mars, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said over the weekend […]the government wants to triple the size of the sector to A$12 billion and create some 20,000 extra jobs by 2030.
Trump, when asked at a joint news conference with Morrison about the U.S. space program, said the focus was on Mars.
reuters.com/article/us-usa-australia-nasa
So, we have to wonder: what kind of reception awaits Jacinda Ardern this morning? Will the White House be draped in silver ferns and kowhai? Trump is unlikely to have forgotten Ardern’s snide slights and conspicuous presence at anti-Trump rallies. It remains to be seen is if he is willing to forgive, and by how much – including extending the same exemption from aluminium and steel tariffs that have already been granted to Australia.