‘History of animosity’ with Trump hanging over Kevin Rudd, Dutton says
Peter Dutton says Anthony Albanese has “a lot of messes to deal with” as Australia prepares for a second Trump administration.
Kevin Rudd’s “history of animosity” with Donald Trump is hanging over the Australian ambassador, Peter Dutton says.
The Opposition Leader has previously backed Mr Rudd, whose past criticisms of the incoming US President have been in the spotlight in recent weeks.
But on Thursday Mr Dutton took a far muddier stance on Mr Rudd’s future, saying the former Labor prime minister’s diplomatic posting “was a captain’s call” from Anthony Albanese.
“I know that there are many people in the caucus, in the Labor cabinet at the moment, who are backgrounding and briefing against Kevin Rudd,” Mr Dutton told reporters.
“That’ll continue because there’s that history of animosity.”
He said he wanted what was “best” for the country.
“I want us to have a functioning, stable relationship with our most important partner,” Mr Dutton said.
“I want to make sure that there is mutual respect toward Australia and toward the United States, I want to make sure that we can have an ambassador who can work effectively with the government, whether that’s the US, or wherever an ambassador might be appointed.”
His latest comments came as Dan Scavino, a longtime close associate of Donald Trump, was named deputy chief of staff in Mr Trump’s incoming administration.
Mr Scavino this week suggested Mr Rudd’s time was running out in an ominous social media post.
https://t.co/gZgn50AWYipic.twitter.com/ieUTiYW6bG
— Dan Scavino Jr.🇺🇸🦅 (@DanScavino) November 12, 2024
Mr Scavino sent a GIF of an hourglass to Mr Rudd in response to the Australian envoy’s X post congratulating Mr Trump on winning last week’s election.
The Trump aide’s response came almost a week after Mr Rudd posted the note, and a day after an old video of him calling Mr Trump a “village idiot” was unearthed.
Mr Dutton said Mr Albanese had “a lot of messes to deal with”.
“In terms of the comments that Mr Rudd’s made, well, I guess the difficulty that the Prime Minister’s in at the moment is that if he sacks Kevin Rudd, then what does he do with Penny Wong?” he said.
“And if he sacks Penny Wong, what does he do given he’s made his own disparaging remarks about president-elect Trump as well?”
An old video resurfaced last week showing the Prime Minister say Mr Trump “scares the sh*t out of me and I think it’s of some concern the leader of the free world thinks that you can conduct politics through 140 characters on Twitter overnight.”
But Mr Albanese and his cabinet have brushed off suggestions there could be any chemistry issues with Mr Trump.
Earlier on Thursday, Tanya Plibersek reaffirmed her support for Mr Rudd, saying he had nothing to worry about.
“Kevin Rudd has distinguished himself as ambassador,” the senior minister told Sky News.
“He’s widely recognised as one of the world’s pre-eminent experts on China and particularly on the time of Xi Jinping as leader.
“And we know that people like Malcolm Turnbull, a former Liberal Prime Minister, and other prominent liberals, including former ambassadors, have said that it’s important for Kevin Rudd to remain as ambassador, and it shows Australia’s strength.”
Malcolm Turnbull, who sparred regularly with Mr Rudd in parliament, has thrown his support behind keeping his old Labor rival in the diplomatic posting.
Mr Rudd has also said Mr Trump was “nuts”, the “most destructive president in history” and a “traitor to the West”.
Meanwhile, Mr Trump has called Mr Rudd “nasty” and “not the brightest bulb”.
“If he’s at all hostile, he will not be there long,” the former president said in an interview earlier this year.
Despite the apparent friction, the Albanese government has credited Mr Rudd with much of the diplomatic legwork around AUKUS and Australia-US trade.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers earlier this week praised him for setting up dialogue with both Mr Trump’s economic team and senior Biden administration economic figures.
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