Trump tells Turnbull he'll honour refugee swap deal
President Donald Trump has reportedly reassured Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull that the US will continue to honour the refugee resettlement deal with Australia.
The deal was reaffirmed during a 25-minute phone call between the pair as the new president worked his way through a list of calls to other world leaders.
There were concerns that Australia's deal made with the Obama administration would come unstuck following Trump’s appointment.
The deal will see a number of refugees held in Australian detention camps on Nauru and Manus Island swapped with refugees held in similar US camps in Costa Rica.
"Both leaders emphasised the enduring strength and closeness of the US - Australia relationship that is critical for peace, stability, and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region and globally," the White House said in a statement.
It remains unknown what specifics were discussed during the pair's first official conversation.
Mr Trump started with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Saturday morning and invited him to the White House for a February 10 meeting.
Mr Trump also spoke with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and will undertake his much anticipated first conversation as president with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has been accused by the US intelligence community of being behind a campaign to influence the US presidential election.
"Tomorrow @POTUS will begin day w call w PM of Japan, Chancellor of Germany, President of Russia, President of France & end w PM of Australia," White House spokesman Sean Spicer wrote in a tweet in Friday.
The calls come after a tumultuous first week in power for Mr Trump.
The president lived up to many of his controversial election campaign promises including scrapping the Trans-Pacific Partnership between the US, Australia and 10 other Pacific nations, ordering the construction of a border wall with Mexico and introducing tough new rules blocking refugees and travel to the US from seven mostly Muslim nations including Syria, Iraq and Iran.
The tough stance on refugees raises speculation Mr Trump will scrap the US-Australia asylum seeker deal involving refugees held on Nauru and Manus Island.
Mr Turnbull struck the deal last year with then US President Barack Obama but said he was looking forward to the conversation with President Trump on Saturday.
"We have a great deal to discuss," Prime Minister Turnbull said.
"We are very, very close friends and very strong and trusted allies."
- With AAP
