Kevin Rudd to stand down as US ambassador
Kevin Rudd will end his tenure as Australia’s ambassador to the US a year early following a tumultuous period under the Trump administration.
Source: C-Span
The former Labor prime minister was appointed as ambassador in 2023 but faced controversy for his previous criticisms of President Donald Trump.
Trump reclaimed the top job in 2024, complicating the government’s relationship with the ambassador.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced on Tuesday that Rudd would conclude his posting on March 31 to take up the role of global president of the international relations think tank, the Asia Society.
He will also head the society’s Centre for China Analysis.
“As Prime Minister, I have visited the United States on no less than seven occasions; that is because of the productive work that Kevin Rudd has done across the board,” Albanese said in Canberra.
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Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Rudd had been an excellent ambassador, including helping Australia to secure a critical minerals deal with the US and advancing the AUKUS security pact through which Australia will acquire nuclear-powered submarines from the US.
“Kevin has been an excellent ambassador, we thank him for his tireless contribution to Australia’s national interests over the last three years,” she said alongside Albanese.
“He has done what our best ambassadors, developing deep, enduring relationships across the political divide, across successive administrations, and always with a view to advancing Australia’s interests.”
Albanese denied fractured relationships between Rudd and the Trump administration, including a terse exchange between Trump and Rudd during a bilateral meeting with the PM when his past criticisms were brought up with the President.
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A reporter asked Trump about Rudd’s past criticism – when he posted in 202o that Trump had been the “most destructive” president in US history during his first term.
“I don’t know anything about him. If he said bad, then maybe he’d like to apologise?” Trump said.
“Did an ambassador say something bad about me?” he asked Albanese before waving his hand and saying “Don’t tell me. I don’t want to know”.
“Where is he? Is he still working for you?,” Trump said.
Albanese pointed to Rudd on the opposite side of the table.
Rudd said it was before he took up his role as ambassador. He deleted the comments when Trump was elected a second time.
“I don’t like you either, and I probably never will,” Trump said, to a smattering of laughter.
But Albanese said on Tuesday that “the thing about President Trump is that he looks forward on these issues”.
A replacement will be announced at a later date.
-with AAP
