Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull insists Australia won't be indebted to the United States if Donald Trump's administration does eventually take refugees from Nauru and Manus island.
White House spokesman Sean Spicer late last week said the president would honour the asylum-seeker deal with Canberra "in some way".
Mr Turnbull argues that doesn't mean Australia will owe the US any favours such as committing more troops to the Middle East or ships to the South China Sea.
"We assess all requests for military assistance on their merits," Mr Turnbull told the Nine Network's 60 Minutes on Sunday.
"There is no linkage at all between an arrangement relating to refugee resettlement and any other matters."
A week of bickering with Mr Trump over the refugee deal has actually been a good thing for Australia because US politicians - other than the president - are now talking up the alliance, Mr Turnbull says.
The US president argues Canberra has previously taken advantage of Washington, but the prime minister says there's never been more public support for Australia.
"We have seen dozens and dozens of congressmen and senators talking about the importance of the Australian alliance," he said.
"So this has been a very good week for Australia."
Mr Trump reportedly said his phone call with Mr Turnbull last Sunday was the "the worst", and he subsequently labelled the refugee deal "dumb", but the prime minister hopes standing his ground will make him appear stronger.
The Liberal leader said the now infamous call was "frank and forthright" and stressed that, contrary to some reports, the president "did not hang up" on him.
"The call ended courteously," the PM said on Sunday.
Asked if standing up to Mr Trump may have countered perceptions he was weak, Mr Turnbull replied: "The suggestion I'm anything other than strong and forthright and determined flies in the face of all of my history."
The phone call between the two men was mocked in a Saturday Night Live skit aired on US television on Sunday afternoon Australian time.
In the episode, Mr Trump, played by actor Alec Baldwin, is surprised when Mr Turnbull, played by Beck Bennett, thanks the US president for accepting 1200 of Australia's refugees.
"No, no, no. No refugees, America first, Australia sucks, your reef is failing, prepare to go to war," Mr Trump says before slamming the phone down.
