Time's up: Kevin Rudd's future in Washington on thin ice
A senior Trump aide has signalled that Australia’s contentious Ambassador to the U.S. is on borrowed time as past comments come back to haunt Rudd.
One of Donald Trump’s top advisors has raised concerns about Kevin Rudd’s position as Australia's Ambassador to the United States, suggesting that Rudd’s time in Washington could be almost up.
Dan Scavino, a key member of Trump’s inner circle, posted an hourglass GIF on social media alongside Rudd’s congratulatory message to the President-elect, fuelling speculation about Rudd’s tenure.
https://t.co/gZgn50AWYi pic.twitter.com/ieUTiYW6bG
— Dan Scavino Jr.🇺🇸🦅 (@DanScavino) November 12, 2024
The move came as Sky News aired footage in which Rudd referred to Trump as a “village idiot” and described his approach as “incoherent.” Sean Spicer, a former Trump administration press secretary, pointed to these past comments as a possible factor in Rudd's uncertain future. “Donald Trump doesn’t forget these comments,” Spicer told Andrew Bolt, drawing parallels between Rudd's situation and Trump’s recent decision to leave former allies Nikki Haley and Mike Pompeo out of his administration.
Kevin Rudd cannot be allowed to keep his job.
— Malcolm Roberts 🇦🇺 (@MRobertsQLD) November 11, 2024
How can Australia have an ambassador to the US that called Donald Trump a village idiot? https://t.co/fLulZxmOie pic.twitter.com/HWVBM4vQmd
“You saw how he kind of thanked Ambassador Haley and Secretary Pompeo for their previous service and said they will not be utilised in this next administration,” Spicer explained. “It’s a reminder that Trump might be cordial publicly, but he won’t overlook past remarks.”
"He won't be there long." Trump indicated that Kevin Rudd may be fired on day one. pic.twitter.com/FF5eopZVjq
— Alex James (@actualAlexJames) November 10, 2024
Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton questioned whether Rudd could maintain a productive relationship with the Trump administration, a point he raised in an interview on ABC Radio. “We’ve supported Kevin Rudd, and he’s worked effectively under our country’s name,” Dutton said, though he left open the possibility that a future government might reconsider Rudd’s role. When asked if former prime minister Scott Morrison might step in, Dutton commented, “Kevin Rudd has that role and a term to finish. Future decisions will be up to the government of the day.”
Tom Elliott thinks Kevin Rudd’s time as Australia’s ambassador to the United States “has to end” after Donald Trump’s victory in the US election.
— 3AW Melbourne (@3AW693) November 13, 2024
MORE 👉 https://t.co/XmUoVLzflR pic.twitter.com/GVl1pbEdK6
The discussion comes as reports emerge of Rudd seeking Morrison’s assistance in establishing connections with Trump’s team.
COMMENTS
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Bruce Atchison commented 2024-11-13 21:37:58 -0500I hope this man never gets high-paying employment ever again. Ambassadors aren’t supposed to slag the leader of the country they’re in.
