Trump to Australian ambassador: ‘I don’t like you either’
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In a White House meeting, President Donald Trump (left) expressed disdain towards Australian Ambassador to the US Kevin Rudd, a former prime minister.
PHOTOS: REUTERS, BLOOMBERG
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WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump on Oct 20 expressed disdain towards Australia’s Ambassador to the US, former prime minister Kevin Rudd, as the two sat face to face across the Cabinet table in the White House.
Mr Trump and his top aides were meeting Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese
Asked by a reporter how he felt about Mr Rudd’s previous criticism of the US President, Mr Trump said “maybe he’ll like to apologise”.
Turning to Mr Albanese at his side, Mr Trump said: “Where is he? Is he still working for you?“
Mr Albanese smiled awkwardly before gesturing to Mr Rudd, who was sitting directly in front of them.
Mr Rudd began to explain: “That was before I took this position, Mr President.”
Mr Trump cut him off, saying: “I don’t like you either. I don’t. And I probably never will.”
Officials from the two allies laughed before another reporter quickly asked a new question.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong later tried to shrug off Mr Trump’s remarks as “clearly tongue-in-cheek”.
“We heard the laughter. We know that we had a very successful meeting and full credit to Kevin,” she told Australia’s Nine Network.
Mr Rudd, a former prime minister from Mr Albanese’s Labor Party, was sharply critical of Mr Trump in social media posts while the Republican billionaire was out of office.
Mr Rudd called Mr Trump, whose supporters rioted at the US Capitol after his 2020 election defeat, the “most destructive president in history” and a “traitor to the West” who “drags America and democracy through the mud”.
Mr Rudd deleted the comments after Mr Trump won back the White House.
Mr Rudd, a Mandarin-speaking former career diplomat, had been tapped as ambassador during Mr Joe Biden’s presidency, with Australia hoping his expertise on China would gain him influence in Washington.
Mr Trump during the campaign in 2024 called Mr Rudd “nasty” and said he would not last long as ambassador, in an interview with hard-right British politician Nigel Farage. AFP
