Politicians Split Over Rudd's Future After Trump Humiliation
Opposition leader breaks ranks as coalition backbenchers defend ambassador's performance at White House minerals deal
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Australian politicians have split sharply over Kevin Rudd’s future as US ambassador following President Donald Trump’s public mockery during a critical minerals agreement signing this week.
While coalition backbenchers praised Rudd for weathering Trump’s barbs, opposition leader Susan Ley doubled down on criticism, calling the White House encounter “an embarrassment” that puts pressure on Australia’s most important relationship.
Trump initially feigned ignorance about Rudd’s identity during the meeting before declaring, “I don’t like you and I think I never will.” The confrontation stemmed from Rudd’s past criticism of Trump, which he publicly apologized for during the signing.
Ley told reporters in Sydney the scene was undeniable. “Kevin Rudd was the elephant in the room,” she said. “Let’s be honest, what went down in that room was an embarrassment.”
She emphasized the stakes of the relationship. “It’s important that the President of the US knows the ambassador to Australia and likes the ambassador and respects the relationship. None of those things are clearly in place right now.”
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The opposition leader pushed back on suggestions that Trump’s statement of forgiveness should end the matter. When told her colleague Jane Hume called such arguments “churlish,” Ley refused to back down.
“If anyone watches the footage of what happened in that room, it was clear that it was an embarrassment and it was clear too that the ambassador’s presence is putting pressure on a relationship that needs to succeed,” Ley said.
She contrasted the current situation with previous ambassadors. “We didn’t have these issues when Arthur Sinodinas and Joe Hockey were in place,” Ley said. “We don’t need pressure on the relationship now.”
But Liberal backbencher Andrew Hastie broke with his leader, telling 2GB radio that Rudd “got the job done in the end” and deserved credit for absorbing Trump’s jabs.
“That was theatre. This guy does really good reality television and trolling the Australian ambassador was good TV,” Hastie said. “But in the end, Kevin Rudd copped it on the chin for the country and we move forward.”
He dismissed the idea that Trump genuinely didn’t recognize Rudd. “This guy does really good reality television and trolling the Australian ambassador was good TV,” Hastie said, adding there was no need to “relive the humiliation.”
Nationals Senate Leader Bridget McKenzie also defended the outcome in a Sky News Newsday interview, calling it “mission accomplished for Team Australia.”
“The fact that Ambassador Rudd had to make a very public and embarrassing apology, I think, was the right thing to do,” McKenzie said. “But at the end of the day, we’re all professionals around those tables and everyone’s got on with business.”
She suggested some Labor figures enjoyed watching Rudd grovel. “Not just the Labor ministers,” McKenzie said, trailing off with a knowing tone about internal party dynamics.
The critical minerals agreement marks a significant win for Australia’s economic and security interests. McKenzie highlighted the deal’s importance for “that geostrategic race around critical minerals,” noting they’re essential for everything from smartphones to F-35 fighter jets.
She acknowledged implementation challenges lie ahead. “Now we’re going to have to literally move at warp speed to do things we’ve never done,” McKenzie said, citing environmental approvals and workforce development needs to compete with China in the global supply chain.
The $368 billion AUKUS submarine deal also advanced during the meetings, with Western Australia Premier Roger Cook and Northern Territory Chief Minister Leah Finocchiaro welcoming the substantial economic benefits expected for their regions.
Cabinet Secretary Andrew Charlton, who knows Rudd well, told Sky News it was “a pretty strange time” for Ley to escalate criticism. “All Kevin Rudd needs to do right now, I think, is just point to the result on the board, which is enormous,” Charlton said.
Trump’s upcoming meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at next week’s APEX summit in Korea will test the delicate diplomatic balance Australia must maintain between its largest trading partner and closest security ally. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will also attend.
Ley’s sustained criticism despite Trump’s statement of forgiveness signals the ambassador’s position may remain a political flashpoint as the relationship faces new tests.
For the coalition backbenchers defending Rudd, personal embarrassment matters less than national outcomes when billions of dollars and strategic partnerships hang in the balance. But their leader clearly disagrees on whether the current arrangement can succeed.
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