Former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull made people laugh on Tuesday as he impersonated U.S. President Donald Trump while urging Australian political leaders to stand up to him.
Speaking ahead of the country’s May 3 general election, Turnbull said candidates should not be afraid of Trump’s criticism.
During his speech, Turnbull briefly adopted a nasal American accent to mimic Trump, joking about how the U.S. president might react on his Truth Social platform.
“If that means they get a brickbat or a Truth Social post saying ‘You’re weak and ineffectual. You don’t know anything about China,’” he said, mimicking Trump’s signature cadence. The crowd responded with chuckles.
Turnbull, who was Australia’s leader when Trump first took office in 2017, has been a consistent critic of the former U.S. president.
Earlier this year, he described Trump’s return to office as “chaotic” and “erratic,” reinforcing his view that world leaders should be prepared to challenge him.
Trump responded to Turnbull’s latest remarks on Truth Social, calling him “a weak and ineffective leader” who “never understood what was going on in China.”
The two have had a rocky relationship, dating back to their first phone call in 2016, which Trump reportedly dismissed as “the worst by far.”
The strained ties were evident early on, with then-White House press secretary Sean Spicer even mispronouncing Turnbull’s name as “Mr. Trumble” in a press briefing.
Despite their history, Turnbull’s latest comments suggest he remains outspoken about Trump’s influence on global politics.
