New Zealand's Prime Minister Bill English said today 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 US Trump later tweeted that the deal was "dumb."


By contrast, English 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.


English said he told Trump he disagreed with the contested travel ban but didn't berate him over it. "I'm not there to scold him, although a lot of people might like us to do that," English said.