The Australian-US asylum-seeker swap deal remains alive but each of the refugees on Manus Island and Nauru will have to undergo extreme vetting before entering America, White House spokesman Sean Spicer has confirmed.
Mr Spicer told reporters on Thursday US President Donald Trump was "unbelievably disappointed" about the "horrible deal" agreed to between Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and former US president Barack Obama last year.
Mr Spicer, however, gave a different assessment of Saturday's phone call between Mr Trump and Mr Turnbull that was described in media reports as volatile, telling reporters it was "cordial" and the president has tremendous respect for the prime minister and the Australian people.
Share
