TRANSCRIPT
The future of Australia's Ambassador to the United States of America has been thrown into question - after former President Trump had this to say about Kevin Rudd.
"He won't be there long if that's the case. I don't know much about him. I heard he was a little bit nasty. He's not the brightest bulb, but I don't know much about him. But if, if he's at all hostile, he will not be there long."
Trump was speaking to British network GB News - and was asked about the AUKUS alliance, and Kevin Rudd.
Jared Mondschein, Director of Research at the United States Studies Centre, says he wasn't surprised by the comments.
"I'm not too surprised. I think if you watch the interview, you can see Nigel Farage, known friend to former President Trump, in many ways, teed up that sort of response from the former president."
So why does Donald Trump have an issue with Kevin Rudd?
The former Australian Prime Minister has been very public in his criticisms of Mr Trump - labelling him 'the most destructive president in history'.
In 2020, Mr Rudd told CNN that former President Trump's conduct was unacceptable.
"When the world, and the democratic world, looks on the United States and Trump having lost the election, trying to cling to power in this interregnum. It leaves a very bad taste in the world at large. I would hope that the Republicans would see sense and, and get the president to behave like a responsible grown up and so far he's not done that."
That antagonistic relationship was known before Labor appointed Kevin Rudd to the coveted US Ambassador position last year.
When asked if it was wise to appoint Mr Rudd to the role, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the issue should not be politicised.
"Because one of the things that I have never seen happen before in 28 years in this chamber, it's an attempt to politicise Australia's representative overseas in an important nation such as that. Never seen it. Never seen it before."
Since becoming Ambassador, Kevin Rudd has helped facilitate the Australian, United Kingdom, United States alliance, known as AUKUS.
That complex alliance will see the US supply Australia with at least three nuclear powered submarines.
Mr Mondschein says Mr Rudd's work on AUKUS has won him support in the US.
"You're seeing members of Congress coming out and speaking in support of Kevin Rudd because this awkward legislation is not simple. This was sharing of nuclear powered submarine technology with Australia between three countries, as well as other emerging tech collaboration. This is not simple stuff. This is not something that leaders can do on their own. This is something that Congress needs to get deep into the weeds on in which by all accounts Kevin Rudd has done as investor. He's gotten deep in the weeds on this legislation working with members of Congress across the aisle on this really challenging and complex legislation."
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong has confirmed Mr Rudd will remain as ambassador if Donald Trump is elected.
Senator Wong says Mr Rudd's work on AUKUS is an example of his strengths.
"I'd point you in particular to the phenomenal amount of work which has been done on AUKUS in the period that he's been ambassador. He's been extremely active in engaging with members of Congress on both sides of politics, and he is a former prime minister, a former foreign minister. His experience and skills mean he will be able to work closely with whomever is elected by the Australian by the American people as the United States president."
Mr Mondschein says the US-Australia relationship is bigger than just two people.
"If Donald Trump does win I think there might be, you know, some challenges there. We might hear sort of these sorts of news bites, but on the whole substantively, I think things are still trending pretty positively."
The US election will be held later this year.
When Donald Trump was elected in 2016, Kevin Rudd told Sunrise he would set his differences aside.
"It is what it is; people like him or loathe him, the American people have elected Mr. Trump to become the president. And that affects all of us. So let's just get into beyond preferences and likes. We just kind of work with President Trump."
If Mr Trump is elected again, Australia will have to wait and see if he is open to doing the same.
