Australia has defended its efforts to help the United States and other allies in the Middle East, after US President Donald Trump condemned Canberra’s contributions as “not great”.
Australian defence minister Richard Marles said Canberra had done all it was asked, suggesting Washington had not formally requested naval support.
“The one request we’ve had from the United States is to provide support for the Gulf states,” Marles told Australia’s Nine News.
“Which is, in fact, what we are doing — and that’s where we see our national interest.”
