The former Australian ambassador to the United States Kim Beazley has blasted Donald Trump for destabilising US alliances and encouraging nuclear proliferation in north Asia.

Beazley, an outspoken critic of the US presidential candidate since concluding his stint as ambassador earlier this year, has written for the Australian Strategic Policy Institute about the dangers of a Trump presidency for the Australian alliance.

The former Labor leader told ABC’s AM on Wednesday a Trump presidency would “basically trash the structure of alliance and trade relationships in our region”.

He said although Trump had “never aimed anything at us” he would “destabilise enormously the relationship we have in the north part of Asia with Japan and [South] Korea”.

In an interview with Sky News on Wednesday, Beazley took aim at Trump for suggesting South Korea and Japan should defend themselves, even if it involved conflict with nuclear-armed North Korea.

“Specifically on this he said if the plans he has in mind for [the] relationship with Korea and Japan cause those countries to contemplate nuclear weapons, well good luck to them – that was his position, go ahead and do it.”

Beazley said North Korea could consider pre-emption if South Korea developed nuclear weapons.

Australia would face a challenge of “skilled advocacy”, in having to “wean [Trump] away from the lunacy” of this foreign policy, he said on ABC’s AM. The former ambassador called for an “immediate, forceful and sustained” response if Trump were elected.

“You’d bring to bear all the force of a very close ally in changing the mind of a particular leader in the US.”

On Sky Beazley said Australia should not close joint military facilities with the US, because that would be “cutting off our noses to spite our faces”.

But military cooperation should make Trump, if he were elected, listen to Australia’s concerns.

Beazley doubted the ability of the US political system to check Trump, because he could undermine alliances without legislation, for example, by saying he would not activate a security guarantee, or interfering with trade, or issuing executive orders to border agents.

Beazley took aim at Trump’s remarks that second amendment advocates could stop Hillary Clinton appointing judges to the supreme court, interpreted as hinting at her assassination.

“This morning – it’s just one outrage after another – he’s basically calling on supporters of the second amendment to shoot Hillary [Clinton]. I mean really, how far can this guy go?”

Beazley told Sky News Trump’s support was largely confined to white, working class males, and the comments would “put a lid” on his ability to appeal to other groups.

“The American voting public needs to have words with him on that.”

Beazley said Trump was mobilising white working class men to vote in greater numbers but also mobilising Hispanics to vote against him.

“I think in the end he’s going to start mobilising women [against him]. The combination of all the counter-mobilisations should hopefully keep him out of the White House,” he said.

Beazley said the “most immediate risk” of a Trump presidency to Australia’s relationship with China would be attacks on free trade.



“If that destabilises the Chinese economy, well it destabilises our principal trading partner.”

Beazley said he was not sure Trump could implement plans for 45% tariffs on China without legislation, but said there were “an array of punitive measures available to him” including tariffs on individual products and enforcement of anti-dumping provisions.

“He could make a mess very quickly of a very critical trading relationship with China.”