US President Donald Trump reportedly accused Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull of trying to send America the next Boston bomber. Credit:AP Rucker told the ABC that President Trump was unconcerned about the alliance with Australia or diplomacy. "He doesn't really care so much that Australia is an ally over many, many years. What he cares about is the refugee policy that he has used as – that he views as dangerous for the United States. So he didn't let diplomatic niceties get in the way of how he felt about that refugee policy," he said. The journalist said he learnt about the robust communications between the heads of state via US officials. "My understanding from sources familiar with the conversation is that the Prime Minister and President Trump agreed that a number of these refugees, about 1200, would be allowed to be part of the screening process to enter the United States," Mr Rucker told Sky News.

Hung up on: Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. Credit:Christopher Pearce "But what President Trump said is that he would use "extreme vetting" to make sure that nobody who's dangerous would enter the United States. "Nevertheless Trump was upset with having to keep the agreement and actually used the words 'my intention' is to keep the agreement, which gives him a little bit of negotiating wriggle room down the road if he chooses not to go through with the deal." Washington Post White House bureau chief Philip Rucker Credit:Washington Post Rucker, who wrote the account with Washington Post colleague Greg Miller, said it was not clear if President Trump would keep the deal originally struck with President Barack Obama before he left office.

Mr Turnbull had previously described the call as constructive and reaffirming of Australia's longstanding links with the US but after the brutal account reached Australia on Thursday, after days of mixed messages from the White House, he refused to be drawn. "Trump, according to our sources, told the Prime Minister of Australia that this was the worst call of the day by far, including Putin," Mr Rucker said. "As you know, President Trump has very hard views about refugee policy and he does not want dangerous people ... to be entering the United States. "I assume he will look for some way to get out of this agreement, however ... it is something the US feels the need to stand by and we're just going to have to see how the further negotiations go." Follow us on Facebook