Published 11:47 IST, October 1st 2019
Donald Trump asked Australian PM Morrison to help discredit Mueller
US President Donald Trump has urged the Australian PM Scott Morrison during a recent telephone call to help Attorney General Bill Garr to collect information.
- World News
- 3 min read
US President Donald Trump has urged the Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison during a recent telephone call to help US Attorney General Bill Garr to collect information for a Justice Department inquiry intended to discredit the Mueller investigation, according to two American officials on September 30. According to an international news agency, the White House has restricted access to a transcript of the call which is very similar to what was done with President Trump's recent call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. During the call, President Trump asked Zelensky to start an investigation upon his political opponent and a potential candidate for the 2020 presidential elections Joe Biden. This has resulted in the opening of an impeachment inquiry in the Democratic-led House of Representatives.
President Trump called up Prime Minister Morris to provide support
The US Department of Justice is taking up an inquiry into the origins of the investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. The probe into the matter has frequently been denounced by President Trump as a pure political vendetta. According to the sources, President Trump called up Prime Minister Morris to provide support. He also asked to help the US Justice Department review of the origins of the Mueller probe and urged him to speak to Attorney General Barr.
Australian government has always been ready to assist: Spokesperson
The original probe into the Russian interference in the 2016 Presidential elections was reportedly launched after the bureau received a tip from Australian bureaucrats. The FBI investigation into Russian interference and the Trump campaign plotted with Russia was taken over by Mueller after Trump fired FBI director James Comey. Morrison's spokesperson on Monday evening said that the Australian government has always been ready to assist and cooperate with efforts that help shed further light on the matters under investigation.
Updated 15:48 IST, October 1st 2019
