‘I’m not there to scold him’: New Zealand PM has ‘sensible, polite’ talk with Donald Trump

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — New Zealand’s Prime Minister Bill English says he told President Donald Trump during a phone call that he disagreed with his travel and refugee ban but that the conversation remained amicable.

Last week Trump had a testy exchange with Australia’s Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull over a deal Australia reached with the Obama administration to resettle refugees in the U.S.

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By contrast, English on Tuesday told Radio New Zealand that his 15-minute call with Trump on Monday was a “sensible, polite discussion” that affirmed the good relationship between the countries.

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English said he told Trump he disagreed with the contested refugee ban but didn’t berate him over it.

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“I’m not there to scold him, although a lot of people might like us to do that,” English said.