No ‘specific request’ to help US in strait of Hormuz, Marles says, as Trump repeats criticism of Australia

US president told reporters he was ‘not happy with Australia because they were not there when we asked them to be there’ Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Donald Trump has again accused Australia of not doing enough to help him in the Middle East war, claiming the US “asked them to be there” despite Australia’s defence minister saying there had been no “specific request”. The US president made the comments while taking questions from reporters, including Australian correspondents, as he left the White House on Thursday. Footage showed Trump saying: “Well, I’m not happy with Australia because they were not there when we asked them to be there.” Pressed by a journalist on what he had asked Australia for, Trump did not answer directly but said: “They were not there having to do with Hormuz. So I’m not happy, I’m not happy with them.” Asked on Friday morning what Trump meant, Australia’s prime minister, Anthony Albanese, said it was a question for the president. “There’s been no new requests at all,” Albanese told reporters in Geelong. Trump has repeatedly claimed, witho