Donald Trump would be elected again if US election held today, says Joe Hockey

 US President Donald Trump took office as the "most powerful incoming president in living memory" and would win "if the presidential election were held again today", Australia's ambassador to Washington Joe Hockey has declared.
Winning as an underdog leader gives you huge implied power," Mr Hockey said.
Joe Hockey speaking at the Lowy Institute on Thursday. Photo: Peter Morris/Lowy Institute
"In winning, Trump defied the pollsters, the critics, the media commentators and the Washington establishment ... no president before has been elected with so few political debts."

Mr Hockey, who delivered what he called a "report card" on the first year of the Trump presidency to the Lowy Institute in Sydney on Thursday night, said that while many in Australia and in the region had found the leader "unsettling", it's "worth remembering that President Trump was elected promising to shake things up".
US President Donald Trump has "huge implied power", Joe Hockey said. Photo: ALEX BRANDON
"That disruption is a badge of honour for the President," Mr Hockey added. "He does not resile from it, he certainly doesn't apologise, it's what he promised."

In an extended defence of the administration, Mr Hockey said those baffled by the election of Mr Trump needed to recognise the deep fault lines running through the nation, pointing to the fact that one in seven US households had negative net worth and nearly seven in 10 American adults had less than $1000 in savings.

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"Of those, nearly half have no savings at all, they are living pay cheque to pay cheque, week after week, that's if they get a pay cheque at all," Mr Hockey said.