Aus PM bears brunt of Trump's fury at 'dumb' refugee deal

The first phone call between Donald Trump and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has turned out to be a diplomatic disaster after the US President went public to describe an Obama-era agreement with Canberra to accept 1,250 refugees a "dumb deal."

The Washington Post reported that Trump called the conversation with Turnbull "the worst by far" of his calls with world leaders that day, and cut it short after 25 minutes.

During Trump's call with Turnbull last Saturday, the US President objected to an agreement over America receiving refugees, the report said. The disagreement came as the two leaders discussed an agreement, reached under the Obama administration, for the US to accept 1,250 refugees from Australia who are living in offshore detention centres only focussed on the Pacific nations of Nauru and Papua New Guinea.