Kevin Rudd in rush to mend fences in case of second Donald Trump presidency
Kevin Rudd is working overtime to build bridges with Trump Republicans who would be involved in a second presidency, despite his previous strident criticism.
Kevin Rudd is working overtime to build bridges with Trump Republicans who would be involved in a second Donald Trump presidency, despite his previous strident criticism of the former US president.
But Australia’s most recent ambassadors in Washington, Joe Hockey and Arthur Sinodinos, believe the current incumbent would survive a second Trump White House.
Mr Rudd had in the past variously described Mr Trump over the years as “nuts”, a traitor to the West, a threat to democracy, and as someone who pursues protectionism that retards global economic growth.
While these views were not outlandish among many political commentators at the time, they could become a potential liability for Mr Rudd and therefore the Albanese government if Mr Trump returns to the White House.
The question has become more relevant after Mr Trump barnstormed the New Hampshire primary this week, making him the all-but unbackable favourite for the Republican presidential nomination and an even-money bet, according to some polls, of defeating Joe Biden in November.
But Mr Hockey, Australia’s US ambassador during Mr Trump’s presidency, said Mr Rudd had worked to mend bridges with pro-Trump Republicans and those who would likely be involved in a second Trump White House.
He said that despite Mr Trump’s thin-skinned response to criticism, he believed Mr Rudd’s reputation in Washington as a hawk on China would also help him win favour with a Trump White House.
“I think if Donald Trump is elected, on day one he will have a long list of people that he will want to seek vengeance against. And Kevin Rudd is not one of them,” Mr Hockey told The Australian.
“His credentials as a China hawk are going to be more important than criticism he had (of Mr Trump) previously and he has also been reaching out to all sides of the Republican Party, that’s the truth of it,” said Mr Hockey, a former Liberal minister and former political opponent of the twice Labor prime minister.
“He has been working hard to engage with the people that are likely to be around Trump, people like (former US trade representative Robert) Lighthizer, (former secretary of state Mike) Pompeo and (former national security advisor) Robert O’Brien – I know that because they’ve told me.”
Mr Sinodinos, who was Australia’s ambassador until March last year, said the Australia-US relationship was bigger than any ambassador and Mr Rudd was already a familiar figure among Republicans in Washington.
“What matters in international relations is principally the national interest of the two countries and the relationship between the leaders … at the end of the day, who the ambassador of any particular country is is really a matter for the sending country,” he said.
Mr Sinodinos said Mr Rudd had to deal with many congressional Republicans during negotiations to obtain US congressional approval for the AUKUS submarine plan.
“If you look at what (Mr Rudd) has been doing in terms of congressional relationship building, particularly with the passage of the National Defence Authorisation Act and the associated AUKUS provisions, that’s given him an opportunity to deal with people on both sides of the table, both in the house and the Senate. That’s been an ideal platform to press his case,” Mr Sinodinos said.
Despite their confidence in Mr Rudd, no one in US politics is as unpredictable as Mr Trump, and no one really knows how he might react to the Australian ambassador were he were to become president again.
Mr Rudd declined to comment, but when asked in April last year about his past criticism of Mr Trump, he said: “The bottom line is I’ve been in this town on and off for 30 years, I have bucketloads of Republican friends and bucketloads of Democrat friends, working in foreign policy and national security.”
He said that since taking up his diplomatic posting, he had worked “comfortably and seamlessly” with key Republicans such as former house Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell.
The Albanese government has been happy with Mr Rudd’s performance so far in the posting, which has seen the successful passage through congress of legislation allowing the US to sell its Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines to Australia.
Mr Rudd is well known and in demand in Washington for his knowledge of China, with the Pentagon this week seeking a personal briefing from the former prime minister on the latest developments in Beijing.
Early fears in Canberra that Mr Rudd’s personality and his status as a former prime minister might lead him to behave like a maverick beyond the control of government process and policy have not been realised. He has proved to be disciplined and focused in his role, forging links broadly across a spectrum of politics and institutions in Washington.
Nevertheless, a Trump victory in November would jangle nerves in the Albanese government about whether the recycled president would be able to deal effectively with a formerly outspoken former Australian prime minister.
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