Former Australian prime minister and current ambassador to the United States, Kevin Rudd, recently deleted tweets critical of President-elect Donald Trump following his victory in the presidential election. Rudd had previously referred to Trump as “the most destructive president in history” in a 2020 post. Rudd served as Australia’s 26th prime minister from 2007 to 2010 and was re-elected in 2013 after a brief stint as Australia’s foreign minister. At the time of his critical comments, Rudd was serving as Chair of the Asia Society Policy Institute, which focuses on using second track diplomacy to assist governments and businesses in resolving policy challenges in Asia and between Asia and the West.
Rudd’s office shared a statement with Fox News Digital explaining that the deletion of his critical comments about President Trump was done out of respect for the office of the President of the United States. This was to prevent any misconstrual of his personal views as ambassadorial positions, and to ensure that his comments were not mistakenly seen as reflecting the Australian government’s stance. Ambassador Rudd expressed his eagerness to work with President Trump and his team to further strengthen the US-Australia alliance. Since then, Rudd has shared several congratulatory posts on social media in which he claimed to have personally called President-elect Trump to congratulate him on his election victory.
In one of his posts from November 6, Rudd mentioned that he had a conversation with President Trump about the importance of the Alliance and the strength of the Australia-US relationship in security, AUKUS, trade, and investment. AUKUS is a trilateral union established in 2021 between the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom to promote security in the Indo-Pacific region. The office of Ambassador Kevin Rudd did not provide any additional comment to Fox News Digital’s inquiry regarding the deletion of his critical tweets about President Trump and his subsequent engagement with Trump following the election.
Ambassador Rudd’s previous role at the Asia Society Policy Institute as a commentator on American politics likely contributed to his past criticism of President Trump. However, his decision to remove these criticisms after Trump’s election victory demonstrates his commitment to diplomacy and respect for the office of the President. By emphasizing the importance of the US-Australia alliance and expressing his willingness to work with President Trump, Rudd is demonstrating his dedication to furthering the relationship between the two countries. The AUKUS agreement, in particular, underscores the mutual interests of the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom in promoting security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
While Rudd’s decision to remove his critical tweets may have been motivated by diplomatic considerations, it also highlights the complexities of navigating political relationships in the international arena. As an ambassador, Rudd must balance his personal views with his official duties, especially when it comes to engaging with foreign leaders. By congratulating President-elect Trump and expressing his commitment to strengthening the US-Australia alliance, Rudd is signaling his willingness to set aside past criticisms and work towards common goals. His actions reflect his understanding of the importance of maintaining productive relationships between countries, even when there are differences of opinion.
