Government ministers have leapt to the defence of an Australian reporter berated by Donald Trump for asking questions about the US president's personal business dealings.
In criticising the journalist, Donald Trump also confirmed he would soon meet face-to-face with Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese.
"In my opinion you are hurting Australia very much right now," Mr Trump told the ABC's John Lyons while speaking to journalists at the White House.
"Your leader is coming over to see me very soon.
"I'm going to tell him about you. You set a very bad tone."
Mr Lyons, the national broadcaster's Americas editor, had asked the president about whether it was appropriate for a US leader to be "engaged in so much business activity" while in office.
Mr Trump said his children were running his business.
The president did not mention when or where he would meet Mr Albanese, and the federal government has yet to confirm the meeting.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the reporter's line of questioning appeared to be a legitimate one.
"I respect the ABC and I respect its independence and that extends to not second-guessing the questions asked legitimately by journalists at press conferences," he told reporters in Brisbane.
"Journalists have a job to do and as far as I can tell that journalist was just doing his job."
Mr Lyons, an award-winning journalist, defended his question.
"Our job as journalists is to ask questions that the average person would be interested in," he told ABC TV.
"The average person in Australia would be interested in 'how is a president becoming so wealthy in office'.
"We asked them politely, respectfully. They were not shouted. They were not abusive."
A social media account linked to the White House said Mr Trump had smacked "down a rude foreign Fake News loser".
Other federal MPs from across the political divide defended the ABC, saying journalists had the right to ask difficult questions.
"Trump is a bully. He thinks he can bully the press and he thinks he can bully Australia," Greens communication spokeswoman Sarah Hanson-Young said in a statement.
She urged Mr Albanese to raise the incident when he sits down with Mr Trump.
Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie said it was "the scoop of the year for the ABC" because it was able to confirm a meeting was forthcoming.
"There's nothing wrong with journalists asking tough questions," she said.
But Liberal senator and former ABC journalist Sarah Henderson said the national broadcaster needed to explain itself.
"At a time when trade, defence and national security are such crucial issues in our relationship with our closest ally, it would be helpful if the ABC could explain this line of questioning," she said on X.
"Australians should expect the highest standards of our publicly funded national broadcaster."
The prime minister is preparing to travel to the US in the coming days for the annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly.
A face-to-face with Mr Trump, either on the sidelines of the UN summit in New York or at the White House in Washington DC, now appears confirmed.
The opposition has repeatedly criticised Mr Albanese for failing to meet with Mr Trump, several months into his second term.
Mr Trump praised Mr Albanese as a "good man" after the two leaders held their fourth one-on-one phone call earlier in September.
TL;DR:
Dibber dobber Donny: Trump tattletales on TV reporter.
Mr Lyons, the national broadcaster's Americas editor, had asked the president about whether it was appropriate for a US leader to be "engaged in so much business activity" while in office.
"Your leader is coming over to see me very soon.
"I'm going to tell him about you. You set a very bad tone."
A social media account linked to the White House said Mr Trump had smacked "down a rude foreign Fake News loser".
At my work we use the walk in coolroom and typically a lot of screaming can occur.