“I’m speaking to your chief [Albanese], who was simply right here, and he’s a fantastic man, and I’m going to verify we now have someone that he likes,” Trump stated.
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“I’ve one or two individuals [in mind], I don’t know if they want – I do, I’ve someone in thoughts.
“Right here’s the excellent news, everyone desires to be ambassador to Australia.”
The place of US ambassador to Australia has usually been considered a fascinating place, as is Australia’s ambassador to the US, and is commonly crammed by a political or enterprise affiliate of the president of the day, somewhat than a profession diplomat.
However this has continuously concerned lengthy gaps with out an envoy. Joe Biden’s appointment, Caroline Kennedy, the one surviving baby of former president John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy, took up her put up in July 2022 and served for lower than 2½ years.
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Since Kennedy vacated the put up in November 2024, there was no US ambassador to Australia, with the function crammed within the interim by Chargée d’Affaires Erika Olson.
The Coalition initially responded to the Trump-Rudd incident by calling for Rudd to be sacked as ambassador.
However Opposition Chief Sussan Ley softened her rhetoric the next day, saying Rudd was the PM’s alternative and had “an enormous job” to do.
Rudd has additionally received reward from throughout the political spectrum for his relentless work in Washington, particularly within the US Congress.
Liberal frontbencher Jane Hume stated requires Rudd to be despatched residence had been “churlish”, whereas former Liberal prime minister Tony Abbott stated Rudd had accomplished “ job for Australia”.
Albanese additionally praised Rudd extensively in Washington this week. He instructed a gathering of members of Congress: “If there’s a tougher working ambassador on [Capitol Hill] then please let me know as a result of Kevin works his guts out, and he appears to know every part.”
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