Refugee deal should be honoured: Joyce

Barnaby Joyce has an uncomplicated attitude towards the refugee resettlement agreement between Australia and the US: a deal is a deal.

The deputy prime minister is confident the shaky agreement will "sort itself out" despite Donald Trump labelling it the "worst deal ever" during a testy telephone call with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull at the weekend.

"If you can't stick to agreements then the whole show becomes untenable," Mr Joyce told 2GB radio on Friday.

"An agreement was in place, the agreement should be honoured."

The US-Australia relationship was a two-way street, the Nationals leader said.

"I'm sure there's somewhere down the track that they'll be doing something that we might not be as enthusiastic about as they are, and that's been the case in the past, so I hope that's what transpires here," he said.