Foreign ambassador to leave US post after Trump criticism
Australia's ambassador to the U.S. who criticized President Donald Trump is leaving his post early. The announcement comes just a few weeks after the U.S. president made a cutting remark about the diplomat.
"It is with deep appreciation for his tireless contribution to our national interests over the last three years in Washington that we today announce the Hon Dr. Kevin Rudd AC will conclude his posting as Australia’s Ambassador to the United States at the end of March 2026," a joint statement issued by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese MP and Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs Penny Wong read.
In their statement, Albanese and Wong seemed to defend the work that the Hon. Dr. Kevin Rudd AC had done in his position. In what could be seen as a swipe at the Trump administration, the two said that Rudd "delivered concrete outcomes for Australia – during both Democrat and Republican Administrations – in collaboration with our closest ally and principal strategic partner."
They also highlighted his knowledge of U.S.-China relations, which is particularly relevant as he takes the helm of the Asia Society, a nonprofit headquartered in New York, which aims to foster relationships between the U.S. and Asia.
Rudd, who previously served as Australia's prime minister, thanked Albanese and Wong for their "kind remarks" ahead of his departure and gave some insight into his new role.
"I will be remaining in America working between New York and Washington on the future of U.S.-China relations, which I have always believed to be the core question for the future stability of our region and the world," Rudd wrote in an X post from his unofficial account.
On his official X account, Rudd said that "It has been an honor to serve as Australia’s Ambassador to the United States over the last three years. I thank the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister for their kind remarks today."
Rudd is no stranger to Asia Society, as he served as the organization's president and CEO 2021-2023. He was also the inaugural President of the Asia Society Policy Institute (ASPI) for nearly 10 years, holding the position from 2015 until 2023. Now, he is set to serve as the president and CEO of the organization and will hold a leading role in the ASPI’s Center for China Analysis, which he established in 2022, according to Asia Society.
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In October, when Albanese visited the U.S., Trump was asked about Rudd's remarks, with one reporter wondering if the comments were the reason why the meeting in Washington was so late in the year. Trump said that he did not know what the ambassador had said before asking Albanese if Rudd was still working for him. In response, Albanese pointed at Rudd who seemed to stumble as he tried to explain the remarks he made, first clarifying that he said them before he took the position as ambassador to the U.S. However, Trump quickly cut him off, saying, "I don't like you either. I don't and I probably never will."
Rudd made headlines in November 2024 when he deleted a series of tweets that were critical of Trump after the U.S. president won his second term. Rudd had described Trump in a 2020 post as "the most destructive president in history," according to reporting from NDTV. Rudd made the comments while serving as the chair of the ASPI. Rudd's office said that the posts were deleted to prevent others from taking them as remarks made in his capacity as ambassador
"This has been done to eliminate the possibility of such comments being misconstrued as reflecting his positions as ambassador and, by extension, the views of the Australian Government. Ambassador Rudd looks forward to working with President Trump and his team to continue strengthening the US-Australia alliance," a statement from Rudd's office that was shared with Fox News Digital in November 2024 read.
It is not immediately clear whether these past remarks played a role in Rudd's departure. However, a Trump administration official told Fox News Digital that Rudd "worked well with President Trump and the administration." The official added that "We wish him well."
Fox News Digital reached out to Rudd and the White House for comment.