November 13th 2024.
A surprising division has emerged within the Liberal party as a senior senator has publicly called for former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to be removed from his role as Australia's Ambassador to the United States. This comes after a tweet from a close associate of President Donald Trump hinted that Rudd's position in Washington may be in jeopardy.
Interestingly, Rudd has found an unlikely ally in former Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who has stated that the United States should not have a say in who Australia appoints as their ambassador. The speculation around Rudd's diplomatic appointment increased when Daniel Scavino Jr, a top Trump adviser and former White House deputy chief of staff, shared a post on X with a GIF of an hourglass, implying that time may be running out for Rudd.
Since then, there have been calls from senior Liberal Senator Dean Smith for Rudd to be recalled, breaking ranks with the rest of the opposition who have not made such a demand. Smith believes that Rudd is not currently in a strong position and that he is no longer capable of fulfilling his duties as ambassador.
However, just before Smith's statement, Liberal shadow minister for foreign affairs Simon Birmingham explained that he and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton have always supported Rudd and that it is ultimately up to him and the Prime Minister to decide if he is still able to effectively represent Australia's interests.
Rudd, who was appointed as US ambassador in 2023 by Anthony Albanese, has faced criticism for his past comments about Trump, including calling him "the most destructive president in history" and a "traitor to the West." In response, Rudd has deleted these posts in order to avoid any misinterpretation of his views as ambassador.
Despite the controversy, Albanese and the rest of the government have stood by Rudd and he has even received support from unexpected sources, such as former Liberal prime ministers Scott Morrison and Tony Abbott, who recently released a podcast episode stating that the US should not dictate who Australia appoints as ambassador.
Abbott, who became prime minister after defeating Rudd in the 2013 election, believes that it would be unusual for the US to be prescriptive about Australia's diplomatic appointments. He also commended Rudd for his dedication and efforts to promote Australia's interests in Washington.
In a previous interview, Trump was asked about Rudd's criticism of him, to which he replied that he didn't know much about him and had heard that he was "a little bit nasty" and "not the brightest bulb." However, he also added that if Rudd was hostile, he would not remain in his role for long.
Overall, the situation around Rudd's position as ambassador is still uncertain and it remains to be seen if there will be any pressure from the US for him to be replaced. Stay updated on all the latest news, sports, politics, and weather by downloading the 9News app available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.
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