Former Australian Ambassador to the US Joe Hockey says Australia will be in a ‘much better position’ than most other countries if Donald Trump is re-elected – as long as we don’t criticise him.
The former Liberal MP and federal Treasurer said that the 2024 election was now a ‘real test’ for Trump with presumptive Democratic nominee Kamala Harris set to contest the November 5 poll.
Hockey, who spent four years in the US as the Australian ambassador, said that Australia was among Trump’s favourite countries including Israel, France and Saudi Arabia
‘The starting point is he likes Australia,’ Hockey told a Guardian podcast.
‘As long as we don’t openly criticise him or take advantage of him, we’ll be in a really good position.
‘We’ll be in a much better starting position than any other country.’
Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at Turning Point Action’s The Believers Summit 2024 in West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., July 26
Donald Trump and Joe Hockey meet in the White House during Mr Hockey’s posting as ambassador to the US that lasted from 2016 and 2020
Asked what Trump liked about Australia, Hockey pointed to the fact Australia has taken part in every major conflict alongside the US in over 100 years.
‘We carry our weight and do more … He loves that,’ Hockey said.
He said after President Joe Biden bowed out of the race for the White House in the wake of a disastrous debate performance and concerns about his cognitive decline, Harris represented a ‘real test’ for Trump.
‘Oh, yes, I do, yeah,’ Hockey said when asked if he thought Harris could beat Trump.
‘Donald Trump can beat Donald Trump.’
Asked about Trump, Mr Hockey said: ‘He’s the best and worst of himself.’
‘In 2020, I think even though he had Covid against him, I think he defeated himself with some of his pre-election behaviour and decisions.
‘At a time when America was hit badly with Covid, he spent more time talking about himself then he did really about the American people. And people felt that he wasn’t protecting them, he was protecting himself.’
Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to earn the Democratic nomination
Joe Hockey and wife Melissa Babbage celebrate the end of Mr Hockey’s tenure with the Australian Embassy in the US after four years in 2020
Mr Hockey said that he had the opinion during the 2020 election, middle America believed Mr Trump was there for his re-election rather than the recovery of the nation.
He said he believed this election would be decided by whether Mr Trump focuses on ‘what matters to the American people’ rather than another ‘Trump-a-thon’.
Hockey said Trump was good at prosecuting his argument and ‘getting his message across’ and one of the ‘most incredible communicators of all time’.
He said while Biden had struggled to get his message across, particularly during his brief campaign, Harris was a ‘good communicator’.
