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Donald Trump may have said “all is forgiven,” but his icy exchange with Australian Ambassador Kevin Rudd is proving hard to forget.
During a headline-making visit to the White House, the U.S. president lobbed a string of public jabs at Rudd, reminding everyone that he still holds a grudge.
Rudd, who once branded Trump a “village idiot” and “traitor to the West,” is now navigating the diplomatic fallout - not just with Trump but with Australian politicians back home.
“I Don’t Like You, And I Probably Never Will”
At a meeting that should have focused on diplomatic cooperation, Trump delivered a surprise comment aimed straight at the former Australian Prime Minister, per News.com.au.
“I don’t like you, and I probably never will,” Trump told Rudd during a White House meeting. Though the room reportedly laughed, the moment quickly ignited a political firestorm.
Australian reporter Michael Koziol pressed Trump about the tense moment. “And you’ve patched things up with our Ambassador — the Australian Ambassador?” he asked.
“No — I don’t know anything about him,” Trump replied.
“Did you tell him all was forgiven in the meeting?” Koziol followed up.
“I think he, a long time ago, said something bad,” Trump said. “You know when they said bad about me, I don’t forget.”
Kevin Rudd isn't in Trump's good books. Credit: Alex Wong / Getty
Past Insults Come Back to Haunt
Before he took up the post in Washington, Rudd’s past tweets included calling Trump “the most destructive president in history” and “a traitor to the West.” Another described him simply as a “village idiot.”
Despite deleting those tweets, Trump hasn’t let the insults slide. During the meeting, he was seen pointing to Rudd and asking Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese: “Is this the guy?” followed by: “He seems like a nice guy,” which drew more laughter.
According to those in the room, Albanese confirmed: “He’s a nice guy,” prompting Trump to quip again: “All is forgiven.”
But moments later, Trump backpedaled. “I don’t forget,” he reiterated. “You know when they said bad about me, I don’t forget.”
Rudd reportedly offered another “genuine” apology after the meeting ended.
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Donald Trump won't forget the remarks. Credit: Brandon Bell / Getty
Albanese Calls It “Banter”—Critics Call It “Untenable”
Australia’s PM Anthony Albanese appeared unfazed, brushing off Trump’s digs as playful, as reported by BBC News.
He later praised Rudd at a Friends of Australia breakfast, saying: “If there's a harder working ambassador on The Hill, then please let me know, because Kevin works his guts out and he seems to know everyone.”
Prominent U.S. Republican Michael McCaul also came to Rudd’s defense, adding: “Kevin was there every step of the way,” referencing Rudd’s key role in the AUKUS submarine pact.
Albanese doubled down on the praise, linking the success of his $13 billion rare earths deal with the U.S. to Rudd’s efforts: “I thank you today, very much publicly — for the success of this visit is down to your hard work,” he said.
Still, not everyone’s laughing.
Anthony Albanese has laughed it off. Credit: Anna Moneymaker / Getty
Sussan Ley Says Rudd Must Go
Australia’s opposition leader, Sussan Ley, slammed the encounter and called for Rudd’s recall.
“It’s taken nearly a year to get this meeting, and that’s been a failure of the Ambassador,” Ley told Sky News. “And when the Ambassador is the punchline of the joke and the Prime Minister is actually laughing at him, I think that tells us all we need to know.
“I don’t believe he should stay in that role,” she added. “And to see the Prime Minister actually laughing at his own ambassador in the room when the President made a joke, I think it’s untenable.”