Senator John McCain final appearance on his Australian visit came with strong warnings.
"No one has ever gotten rich betting against America, my friends, and now is not a good time to start. So what is really in question then is America's judgment, our decisions. And I realise there's much to criticise. But Americans can always make better decisions, and I'm counting on all of you to help us do so."
In a wide-ranging speech covering issues including regional trade and security, Senator McCain said one key area of cooperation concerned China, which he accused of acting unfairly on a number of fronts.
But he asked Australia to think about dealing with China's strategic and economic challenges together - not alone.
The Senator also criticised several of President Trump's decisions including the move to withdraw from the Trans Pacific Partnership which he called a major strategic mistake.
However, he called on Australia to maintain it's strong ties with the US, and give theTrump administration a chance.
Senator McCain said the spread of terrorism was a compelling reason for closer alliances.
The former republican presidential candidate said he was worried about Vladimir Putin stepping up his activities in Eastern Ukraine, and not prioritising the defeat of I-S.
Senator McCain also told guests the US isn't winning the fight in Afghanistan and will be asking its allies including Australia to send more troops in coming weeks.
Australia, this week, already announced 30 extra personnel to its mission in Afghanistan, bringing the number of troops there to 300.
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