The former president alleged a journalist from Australia media representative of "damaging the country" after being questioned regarding his own financial activities while occupying the presidency.
Trump was asked by an ABC correspondent from the public broadcaster on the topic of how much richer his net worth increased since coming back to the presidency in January.
"I am not certain," he replied, noting his sons and daughters managed the family enterprises. "From my perspective, you are hurting your country significantly at this moment, your government aim to maintain good relations with me."
He mentioned Trump was going to meet PM Anthony Albanese "very soon", adding: "I intend to let him know regarding you. You create a very bad atmosphere."
When the reporter attempted to raise a follow-up query, Trump held his index finger as a gesture for silence before uttering "silence" and moved away to speak to another journalist.
For months, the Australian PM had been seeking talks with the US president after planned talks between them did not proceed with little notice as Trump exited the global conference earlier this year ahead of schedule to address the war overseas.
He – and he is scheduled to be in the US for the international summit soon – told ABC radio recently that he and Trump would "meet while in NYC".
"Trump is holding a gathering during the week. And as well, we'll see one another throughout several meetings scheduled between now and the end of the year."
In recent months, US-Australia relations have become tense following Washington disclosed an assessment of the Aukus pact, an important naval arrangement worth A$368bn among Australia, the US and the UK finalized previously.
Earlier this year, Australia furthermore hit with a tariff minimum a tenth covering products sold to America, a move that Albanese said was "not the act of a friend".
The reporter remarked following the brief response by the president describing it as an illogical claim that asking reasonable inquiries respectfully could harm connections between the historic partners.
"Personally, it was a perfectly normal thing to do to raise questions that I don't think were provocative," he stated to the ABC, noting his questions were justified, grounded in findings without being asked in a hostile way.
The network noted the inquiries belonged to a probe by their Four Corners programme looking into his business dealings since returning to office.
Soon after the tense interaction, a social media post on an official government profile displaying the moment included the text: The president "dismisses a rude foreign Fake News loser".
