ABC (Australia) barred from Trump's UK press conference after his clash with Australian journalist John Lyons

[Violet_Crumble]

The ABC has been barred from attending Donald Trump’s press conference near London this week after a clash between the broadcaster’s Americas editor, John Lyons, and the president in Washington DC over his business dealings.

*snip*

Lyons, who is reporting for Four Corners, drew the ire of the president on Tuesday when he asked Trump how much wealthier he had become since returning to the Oval Office for his second term in January.

Trump accused the reporter of “hurting Australia” with the line of questioning.

“In my opinion, you are hurting Australia very much right now,” Trump said. “And they want to get along with me.

“You know, your leader is coming over to see me very soon. I’m going to tell him about you. You set a very bad tone. You can set a nicer tone.”

Trump subsequently told Lyons: “Quiet.”

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2025/sep/18/abc-barred-from-trumps-uk-press-conference-after-clash-with-australian-journalist-john-lyons


What a fucking sook! He thinks dobbing someone in for saying something he doesn't like is presidential behaviour? John Lyons has got the full backing of both sides of politics here.

[lostincalifornia]

1. Wouldn't that be up to the UK who is allowed in the press conference, and not from some tinpot dicator who

occupies the white house?

[Violet_Crumble]

2. Trump says jump and the UK asks how high...

Of course it was Trump retaliating for a journo asking a reasonable question. He's got form. Keir Starmer and his govt have been a massive, massive disappointment and in some ways are every bit as intolerant of speech and protest that they don't like as Trump is.

[lostincalifornia]

3. Then the UK is as screwed up as we are here in the U.S.

[Violet_Crumble]

5. I think the US is in a far worse position..

I'm not American or British, so my perspective may be incorrect, but what I see in the UK is a weak Labor leader trying to position the UK in a post-Brexit world where the US is no longer reliable as an ally. Which explains arrests of protesters from Led By Donkeys for projecting a photo of Trump and Epstein on Windsor Castle, as well as classifying a protest group as a terrorist group, leading to the spectacle of elderly folk being dragged away by police. That's bad, but....

What's happening in the US is so much worse. The UK's system of politics makes it much harder for extremists to gain control, and there's far more in the way of guardrails to protect its democracy. While the UK doesn't have a right to free speech enshrined in its constitution, the US does and yet it's the US where the right to free speech is being destroyed. Democracy is safe in the UK. In the US it's under full-scale attack. I'm not scared to travel to the UK next year, while I'm seriously considering cancelling the US leg of my trip. The US govt has made it very clear that foreigners aren't afforded the protections we'd get in most other countries, and I don't want to go somewhere where I'm not welcome, nor where an authoritarian, convicted felon, misogynist, dementia ridden crazy grandpa is the leader.

I feel for you all in the US. So glad I'm very far away from it all and can switch off when I want to

[lostincalifornia]

6. I agree. I think your perspective is correct. This, cesspool of a country elected someone who tried to overthrow

its government.

How stupid do you have to be?

That is a rhetorical question.

I can only say that the left and the moderates of the party better come together to vote Democratic, even if we don't agree on EVERY ISSUE, because if we don't take back one of the houses in the midterms, we won't have to wait and see our Democracy dismantled until 2028, it will happen after the midterms.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

4. Poor Trumpy got his feefees hurt

Never in my lifetime have I heard a president whine as much as he does. Quit if it's so tough.