Donald Trump UNLEASHES on Australian Journalist John Lyons: ‘You’re Hurting Australia’ in Fiery Clash Over Personal Business Deals
- US President Donald Trump berates ABC journalist John Lyons on the White House lawn, accusing him of ‘hurting Australia’ with questions about his personal business dealings.
- Trump confirms he will meet with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the UN general assembly next week, despite the journalist’s ‘bad tone’.
- The explosive exchange comes as Trump faces scrutiny over his wealth and potential conflicts of interest, with Lyons pressing the President on how much richer he has become since returning to the Oval Office.
The usually unflappable Donald Trump lost his cool on the White House lawn, lashing out at Australian journalist John Lyons in a stunning display of temper. The ABC’s Americas editor, reporting for Four Corners, was simply doing his job, asking the President about his personal business dealings and potential conflicts of interest.
But Trump, never one to take criticism lying down, quickly turned the tables, accusing Lyons of ‘hurting Australia’ with his line of questioning. ‘In my opinion, you are hurting Australia very much right now,’ Trump fumed. ‘And they want to get along with me. You know, your leader is coming over to see me very soon. I’m going to tell him about you.’
The tension was palpable as Lyons pressed Trump on how much wealthier he had become since returning to the Oval Office for his second term in January. Trump claimed his children were responsible for the family business, the Trump Organization, and that most of his deals were made before he became President.
But Lyons was not deterred, asking whether it was appropriate for a US President to be conducting personal business while in office. Trump shot back, ‘I’m really not, my kids are running the business,’ before asking Lyons where he was from. The Australian journalist’s response was met with a tart reply: ‘You set a very bad tone… You can set a nicer tone.’
The meeting between Trump and Albanese is expected to cover urgent issues in the bilateral relationship, including the Pentagon’s review of the Aukus nuclear submarines agreement and Trump’s demands that Australia spend more on defence. But with Trump’s explosive outburst, the tone has already been set for what promises to be a contentious encounter.