A prominent member of the Coalition has openly criticized Donald Trump’s recent actions in the Middle East, labeling them as a “major misstep.”
During an interview on ABC’s Insiders, Andrew Hastie, the opposition’s industry spokesman, expressed that the US president’s decisions have empowered Iran to effectively hold the global economy hostage.
“The resulting economic strain will become increasingly severe, prompting Australians to scrutinize the president’s judgment,” Hastie remarked.
Hastie, a former SAS soldier with service experience in Afghanistan, emphasized that while he supports America, he does not shy away from criticizing poor strategic choices.
“There was a lack of consultation with allies, and with more advance notice, we might have avoided the crisis we’re currently facing,” he noted.
As a “close friend” to the United States, Hastie asserted that Australia is entitled to pose “tough questions” to the American administration.
But he also said given the choice he ultimately sided with the US and Israel.
“If I have to choose between the United States and Israel, and Iran, I’m going to choose democracies rather than a murderous regime which has ambitions to build a nuclear weapon and potentially use it against Israel and the US and allies”, he said.
