Kevin Rudd breaks his silence after nasty jibes about Donald Trump resurfaced - as he insists Australia has a close and special friendship with the United States
Australias ambassador to the US Kevin Rudd has been forced to do some back-peddling after his swipes against Donald Trump resurfaced following his election as 47th President of the United States.
Australias ambassador to the US Kevin Rudd has been forced to do some back-peddling after his swipes against Donald Trump resurfaced following his election as 47th President of the United States.
Dr Rudd previously called Trump a traitor to the West, a village idiot and described him as the most destructive president in history.
In response, Trump said that Rudd was nasty and he would not last long in the role if he returned to the White House.
Since the election, there has been a flood of calls for Rudd to resign which increased following the appointment of Dan Scavino as Trumps deputy chief of staff.
Scavino had earlier posted an ominous GIF of an hourglass in response to Rudds official statement congratulating Trump on his victory on November 7.
Breaking his silence for the first time since since that statement, Rudd took to social media on Friday to insist Australias relationship with the US had gone from strength to strength regardless of who was in the Oval Office.
Australia and the United States share a close and special friendship, Rudd wrote.
Its a bond that has strengthened across generations and across the political aisle in both countries. And it will continue to prosper in the years ahead.
Former Australian Prime Minister and current ambassador to the United States Kevin Rudd issued a statement on Friday after his ability to work with Donald Trump was questioned
Trump (pictured with wife Melania and son Barron at a his election victory speech) was previously labelled by Rudd as a village idiot and a traitor to the West
Rudd included pictures from the Friends of Australia Caucus Dinner at the Embassy with guests Congressman Andy Barr, Joe Courtney and James Moylan alongside Senator Pete Ricketts, Congresswoman Susie Lee and his predecessor Joe Hockey.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese earlier on Friday defended Dr Rudd, saying he was doing a good job.
Thats been recognised across the political spectrum in Australia by people from Tony Abbott to Malcolm Turnbull to Peter Dutton and obviously the Australian Government, Mr Albanese said.
Other Labor leaders like Richard Marles echoed the sentiment.
Kevin is doing a great job as our ambassador and that is our focus… He could not be doing a better job in terms of representing Australias interests, he told Sky News.
Rudd is two years into his four-year term as ambassador, with Opposition leader Peter Dutton remaining tight-lipped on whether he would be allowed to keep his high-profile job should the Coalition win at next years federal election.
A newly-unearthed lecture recorded in June 2022 for the Asia Society, where he served as President, revealed Mr Rudd never imagined that Donald Trump would return as President
Mr Dutton said on Wednesday: Weve supported Kevin Rudd and weve made public commentary before about our support of the ambassador.
Its important that he does work in our countrys name. Hes been a very effective contributor to public debate, particularly as a former prime minister, hes well respected.
I hope that hes able to form a relationship with the new administration as hes done with the current one.
Dr Rudds other comments taking aim at Trump include calling him a an objective problem for the world, incoherent, and said the United States had grown increasingly incompetent in its statecraft under Trump.
Former Trump staffer Sean Spicer said Trump would not forget the comments.
Senator Simon Birmingham in an an address to the National Press Club in Canberra on Wednesday pointed to Trumps pick for secretary of state being Marco Rubio.
This was despite the Florida senator having had some pretty sharp things to say about him.
Hopefully... the type of forgiveness that has been demonstrated to those members of the new administration will be extended in this case as well, Senator Birmingham said.
Now, Ambassador Rudd and the prime minister are the ones who are in the box seat to best make the assessment in coming weeks or months about how effectively he is going to be able to continue to have the influence and get the outcomes that Australia needs.
