President Trump pushed Prime Minister Scott Morrison during a phone call to help Attorney General William Barr gather information for a Justice Department Inquiry into the Mueller investigation.
First reported by the New York Times, the call has now been confirmed by the Australian government.
It reportedly happened in recent weeks, ahead of Scott Morrison’s state visit to the United States last month.
A White House source has confirmed the nature of the call to the ABC.
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The Times cited two American officials saying Mr Trump initiated the call with the direct purpose of requesting Australia’s help in the Justice Department review of the Russia investigation.
The Justice Department inquiry is part of Mr Trump's attempt to discredit the probe into Russia's alleged meddling in the United State's 2016 election.
US Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report on links between the Trump campaign and Russia, pointed to a 2016 meeting between then Trump campaign aide George Papadopoulos and Australian high commissioner to the UK Alexander Downer in a London bar as prompting the FBI to open its Trump-Russia probe.
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When asked about the matter, a spokesperson for the Morrison government said: "The Australian Government has always been ready to assist and cooperate with efforts that help shed further light on the matters under investigation. The PM confirmed this readiness once again in conversation with the President."
keXFsLzP_bigger.pngSBS News ✔@SBSNews · 2h BREAKING: The New York Times is reporting President Trump pushed the Australian Prime Minister during a phone call to help Attorney Genernal William P Barr to gather information for a Justice Department Inquiry into the Mueller investigation. https://www.sbs.com.au/news/donald-trump-reportedly-asked-scott-morrison-to-help-discredit-the-mueller-probe … skMJViEU?format=jpg&name=600x314 Donald Trump reportedly asked Scott Morrison to help discredit the Mueller probe President Trump asked Australia PM Scott Morrison to assist the US Attorney General in an investigation of Robert Mueller's Russia probe, the NY Times reports. ... sbs.com.au
XfuaNpdG_bigger.jpgBrett Mason ✔@BrettMasonNews In response to @nytimes article: “The Australian Government has always been ready to assist and cooperate with efforts that help shed further light on the matters under investigation. The PM confirmed this readiness once again in conversation with the President” #auspol @SBSNews 29 7:25 AM - Oct 1, 2019 Twitter Ads info and privacy
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The report comes after President Trump has been accused of using a call with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky to push his personal political interests.
This phone call has become the centre of an impeachment inquiry launched by the Democrats against President Trump.
The Times says that like that call, his one with Mr Morrison could be seen as another example of Mr Trump allegedly using high-level diplomacy for his own political gain.
Alexander Downer this morning told RN Breakfast he had no knowledge of any conversations Prime Minister Morrison had with President Trump over the matter.
“I have got nothing to say about it beyond I have ever said,” he said.
In Mr Downer's meeting with George Papadopoulos, the then Trump campaign adviser told him about damaging Russian information about rival Hilary Clinton.
“So I don’t know anything at all about conversations Scott Morrison has had with Donald Trump. That, I’m afraid, these days it’s not the sort of thing I’m privy to.”
XfuaNpdG_bigger.jpgBrett Mason ✔@BrettMasonNews · 1h Replying to @SBSNews In response to @nytimes article: “The Australian Government has always been ready to assist and cooperate with efforts that help shed further light on the matters under investigation. The PM confirmed this readiness once again in conversation with the President” #auspol @SBSNews
XfuaNpdG_bigger.jpgBrett Mason ✔@BrettMasonNews “The Australian Government will use its best endeavours to support your efforts in this matter... we stand ready to provide you with all relevant information to support your inquires” - Ambassador @JoeHockey’s May 28 letter to The US Attorney-General #auspol #uspol @SBSNews EFvxpvSU4AA2bxD?format=jpg&name=medium 25 8:38 AM - Oct 1, 2019 Twitter Ads info and privacy
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"I mean I had a conversation with this guy, I passed on the conversation or that one element of the conversation to the Americans and there’s just nothing more to it.
Mr Downer relayed the information back to the Australian government. Details of the meeting were passed onto the United States government after the FBI began investigating Russia's alleged election meddling.
Mr Papadopoulos was sentenced to 14 days in prison last year for lying to the FBI about his contact with Russians.
3wvtaVDG_bigger.jpgGeorge Papadopoulos@GeorgePapa19 I have been right about Downer from the beginning. A wannabe spy and Clinton errand boy who is about to get exposed on the world stage. Great reporting, NYTs! Mifsud is next. 3,900 6:39 AM - Oct 1, 2019 Twitter Ads info and privacy
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With AAP
