Donald Trump is known to be the butt of jokes for many impersonators, and recently, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was seen impersonating the US President’s unique oratorical style. During a speech at Parliament House’s Mid-Winter Ball in Canberra, Turnbull mocked Trump’s alleged links to Russia, his views on fake news and for his lack of popularity in the polls.
The video and audio of Turnbull’s off-the-record speech were leaked, but it also reflected his own self-deprecation as he is also facing poor poll ratings. Turnbull appeared relaxed in the knowledge that journalists attending the annual event will not report on what goes on inside as per the rules.
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But Turnbull’s speech, in which he mocked Trump for his lack of popularity in the polls, was later posted on Instagram before the full audio was leaked to media. During his speech, Turnbull can also be heard mocking the US President about his alleged connections to Russia and the leaders’ first official meeting in New York last month.”It was beautiful. It was the most beautiful putting-me-at-ease ever,” Mr Turnbull joked in his best Trump-inspired voice.”The Donald and I, we are winning and winning in the polls. We are winning so much. We are winning like we have never won before,”The Guardian reported.
As a rule, the speeches at the Press Gallery Midwinter Ball are intended to be light-hearted and are off-the-record i.e. not to be reported in the press. Turnbull got upset on the leak of his video and defended his speech by describing it as a “good-natured and fun. He said the leaked audio was “a breach of protocol and good faith” and denied that Trump was the butt of his jokes.
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It is therefore pertinent to mention that Turnbull and Trump had a famous phone call after the president entered the White House. A furious President ended a call abruptly over a deal struck by the Obama administration for America to resettle refugees from Australia’s offshore detention islands. The US president reportedly told Turnbull he’d spoken with four other world leaders – including the Russian president, Vladimir Putin – and said: “this was the worst call by far”.
In May the two men met for an apparently convivial meeting at a dinner on the USS Intrepid aircraft carrier in New York to mark the 75th anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea.