So did US President Donald Trump really revert to favouring universal health care after praising Australia's system?
No, says the White House.
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White House backtracks on Trump's Australian health care comments
The White House is downplaying President Trump's praise of the Australian health care system.
It was apparently simple chit-chat, pleasantries spoken from one world leader to another when Mr Trump told Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in New York on Thursday night that "you have better health care than we do."
"We have a failing healthcare," Mr Trump said.
![Donald Trump and Malcolm Turnbull on Friday.](/web/20170506231103im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/v/z/1/2/n/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gvzhk7.png/1494034806196.jpg)
"I shouldn't say this to our great gentleman and my friend from Australia, because you have better health care than we do."
Mr Trump's comment was repeatedly played on US cable TV news networks and sparked debate.
Earlier in the day the president and his Republican Party scored a victory in the House of Representatives for repealing Obamacare, although it still has to pass the Senate.
During the Republican campaign to replace Obamacare they railed against government-funded universal heath-care systems like Australia's.
![US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Lucy Turnbull in New York.](/web/20170506231103im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/v/z/g/y/e/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gvzhk7.png/1494034806196.jpg)
US Democratic Senator and former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, a supporter of universal healthcare, laughed during a US TV interview when he was told about Mr Trump's Australian comment.
"Thank you Mr Trump for admitting that universal health care is the better way to go," Mr Sanders later tweeted.
"I'll be sure to quote you on the floor of the Senate."
Mr Turnbull also drew criticism after he told Mr Trump in front of reporters: "Congratulations on your vote today".
Labor's shadow minister for health and Medicare Catherine King said the prime minister was praising a bill that will could lead to thousands of Americans losing their healthcare and "will take away the requirement for health insurers to cover people with 'pre-existing conditions' - such as diabetes, autism or cancer," Ms King said in a media release.
"It could also impact survivors of rape or domestic violence."
Later on Friday White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said at a news briefing that Mr Trump was simply "complimenting a foreign leader on the operations of their healthcare system".
"It didn't mean anything more than that."
Ms Huckabee Sanders said Mr Trump's remarks did not mean he thought the US should adopt a similar system to Australia's.
"I think he believes that they have a good healthcare system for Australia," she said. "What works in Australia may not work in the United States."
"He was simply being complimentary of the prime minister," she said.
Earlier, Mr Turnbull jetted out of New York confident that ties with the US and Mr Trump were rock solid.
Just before his departure for the airport Mr Turnbull repeatedly used one word to describe the Australian-US relationship: family.
That could seem apt to describe what has been a rollercoaster ride for Mr Turnbull and Mr Trump since the president took office on January 20.
Family members are known for having disagreements and then making up.
Mr Turnbull, his wife Lucy, Mr Trump and First Lady Melania spent more than three hours together behind closed doors and in full view at Thursday night's event to honour the 75th anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea.
"It was great for Lucy and I to meet with the president and Mrs Trump," Mr Turnbull told reporters at the Morgan Stanley offices near Times Square.
"Again, that was more family than formal."
Australian and US officials were breathing sighs of relief after the two leaders seemed to enjoy each other's company.
Mr Trump, in his haphazard way, denied his January 28 phone call with Mr Turnbull was a rocky one.
He first told reporters at the Battle of the Coral Sea event the call was great, and Mr Turnbull agreed.
But later in the night Mr Trump admitted the call was "testy".
Mr Turnbull would only offer limited details about his bilateral meeting with Mr Trump, but said they did talk about immigration.
Mr Trump came to power vowing to halt illegal immigrants entering the US and forcing refugees to undergo extreme vetting.
Australia has had success in stemming the flow of refugees, but Mr Turnbull, asked if it was discussed with Mr Trump, said "we don't ever presume to advise or counsel other countries on how they should manage their affairs".
Mr Turnbull wrapped his two-day visit with a breakfast meeting with 20 chief executives including News Corp's Robert Thomson, Blackstone's Stephen Schwarzman, Alcoa chief executive Roy Harvey and Morgan Stanley chief executive chairman James Gorman.
Golfer Greg Norman, chairman and chief executive of Shark Industries, and Bloomberg founder Michael Bloomberg also attended.
AAP/McClatchy
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