The nasty comment Kevin Rudd deleted about Donald Trump – as calls grow for him to be ‘fired’ as Australia’s ambassador to the US
There are growing calls for Kevin Rudd to resign as US ambassador to Australia due to previous bad blood between him and Donald Trump.
In a 2020 tweet, Mr Rudd accused Mr Trump, who was then president, of “dragging America and democracy through the mud”.
“The most destructive president in history,” Rudd wrote.
“He thrives on stoking division, not healing it. He abuses Christianity, the church and the Bible to justify violence.
‘All aided and abetted by Murdoch’s FoxNews Network in America, which fuels this.’
Rudd deleted this tweet as the US election campaign entered its final week.
In other media and comments on social media, Mr Rudd branded Mr Trump “mad” and a “traitor to the West”.
There are growing calls for Kevin Rudd to quit his job as US ambassador to Australia, after a history of bad blood between him and Donald Trump.
When these comments were brought to Trump’s attention by British interviewer Nigel Farage in March, Trump returned fire, saying he had heard Rudd was “nasty” and “not the brightest bulb.”
Libertarian House of Lords MP John Ruddick said Rudd had only one course of action after Trump’s stunning presidential resurrection.
“Kevin Rudd must do the right thing and tender his resignation,” Ruddick told Daily Mail Australia on Thursday.
‘I call on Kevin Rudd to do it immediately. We cannot have an ambassador who has been so biased against the incoming president.”
Mr Ruddick, a strong supporter of Trump, predicted that if Mr Rudd remains in office it would “render our most important international relationship dysfunctional”.
“Trump is well known that personal relationships are very important to him and that he is not a forgiving type,” Ruddick said.
“Rudd has acted foolishly as a diplomat because he has not been very diplomatic. He has been an expert and they are not good ambassadors.”
When told about some of Mr Rudd’s unflattering comments, Mr Trump responded that he had heard the former Australian prime minister was “nasty” and “not the brightest light”.
Before the US election, Trump’s daughter-in-law Lara Trump said it would be “quite difficult” for the government to keep Mr Rudd in Washington if he had not shown signs of a “change of heart” towards Trump.
“It’s not my decision, but I do think it would be nice to have someone who appreciates what Donald Trump has been through and wants to serve our country at this moment, this really pivotal moment in America’s history,” he said. them against Sky. News.
“Obviously, this is a bit difficult to accept, and we might want to choose someone else (for the top job at the US embassy).”
UAP Senator Ralph Babet, who is in America for the presidential election, also called on Mr Rudd to “ The only reason he was sent to the United States in the first place was so he couldn’t cause any trouble here at home.”
“His position is completely untenable,” Senator Babet said.
‘If Kevin Rudd had any decency, humility or self-respect, he would resign immediately.
“And if our Prime Minister had cojones, he would immediately recall Kevin Rudd to Australia.
“When I was in America, I did not meet a single person within conservative circles who spoke fondly of Ambassador Rudd.”
Before Wednesday’s US election, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed Mr Rudd would remain US ambassador. On Monday he told ABC Radio: “Australia decides who our ambassador is, and Mr Rudd is doing a great job.”
Mr Rudd came under fire last week for taking time off in the run-up to the US presidential election to promote his new book, which warns of the dangers of China’s dictatorship.
Libertarian NSW MP John Ruddick calls on Rudd to resign from US ambassador role
While Rudd has been haunted by past comments about Trump, he is not the only Labor figure to make unflattering remarks about the brash property magnate turned politician.
A newly surfaced video from 2017 shows Mr Albanese’s appearance during a question-and-answer session at Splendor in the Grass, when he served as Labor’s transport and infrastructure spokesman while in opposition.
When asked how he would “deal with Trump,” Mr. Albanese replied: “With trepidation.”
Pressed further, Mr Albanese said: “You have to deal with who gets elected,” as Mr Trump has been in the White House for six months.
“We have an alliance with the US, we have to deal with him, but that doesn’t mean you are uncritical about it,” Albanese said.
“He (Trump) scares the hell out of me and I think it is of some concern that the leader of the free world thinks you can do politics overnight through 140 characters on Twitter.”
Sunrise host Nat Barr suggested Mr Albanese may have to apologize after Trump was elected president of the United States on Wednesday evening, while the prime minister was further questioned about the matter by reporters on Thursday morning.
“No, I look forward to working with President Trump,” he emphasized.
‘I think I have shown that I am able to work with world leaders and develop relationships with them that are positive.
“And I think in the two and a half years I have shown that I have had the honor of being Prime Minister.”