The highly anticipated speaking tour in Australia featuring Donald Trump Jr. has faced a setback as it was postponed due to visa issues, according to the event organizers via Newsweek.
Scheduled to appear at the Aware Super Theatre in Sydney on July 9, Donald Trump Jr. was also set to make appearances in Brisbane and Melbourne as part of a three-day tour organized by Turning Point Australia, a conservative group.
Turning Point Australia released a statement citing “unforeseen circumstances” as the reason for the postponement, assuring that the tour would be rescheduled in the near future.
A spokesperson for Turning Point Australia revealed that the delay in the issuance of Trump Jr.’s visa to enter Australia was the cause of the postponement. The visa was reportedly received just 24 hours before Trump Jr. was scheduled to board a flight to Sydney.
“The visa which has now been issued, was only received late afternoon of Wednesday 5th July; only 24 hours before Donald Trump Jr. was set to board a flight to Sydney,
Joel Jammal, from Turning Point Australia, hinted at difficulties faced by the Trumps, noting that the visa delay mirrored challenges encountered in the United States. He assured ticket holders that the delay was temporary and urged them to hold onto their tickets.
Interestingly, the postponement of the tour came after an online petition gained traction, calling for Australia to deny Trump Jr. a visa. The petition, which has gathered over 21,000 signatures, cited his rhetoric and ties to his father, the former U.S. president, as reasons for barring him from entering the country.
The petition was created in May by Kris Eriksen, who described Trump Jr. as an “illegal drug-taking bigoted person” and called for a ban on his entry to Australia for any campaign-related purposes.
Australian Senator Alex Antic, who was slated to host the speaking tour with Trump Jr. and Nigel Farage, expressed disappointment at the postponement but also highlighted his anticipation for the new tour dates, emphasizing that Australians want to hear from conservative figures like Trump Jr. and Farage.
Meanwhile, the Australian campaign group ‘Mad F****** Witches’, known for its efforts to combat media misinformation, claimed that the tour cancellation was a result of relentless pressure and activism against Trump Jr.’s visit. The group attributed the “postponement” to their #MFWBoycott campaign and associated bad publicity, along with alleged promotion of the event by Rupert Murdoch’s media outlets.
