United States President Donald Trump has expressed his lingering dissatisfaction with former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, raising questions about the future of diplomatic relations between Washington and Canberra. During a recent meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Trump indicated that he has not forgotten past criticisms leveled at him, specifically referencing disparaging comments made by Rudd on social media.
The meeting, which occurred this week, was characterized by a mix of cordiality and tension. When Rudd was introduced to Trump, the president reportedly responded, “I don’t like you either – and I probably never will.” Despite this, Albanese later informed reporters that Trump concluded the meeting by telling Rudd, “all’s forgiven.”
As Trump prepared to depart for Asia on Friday night, he reiterated his stance regarding Rudd. When questioned about their interaction, he stated, “No, I don’t know anything about him,” adding that he remembers Rudd’s previous criticism: “When they say bad about me, I don’t forget.”
Opposition Leader Sussan Ley attempted to capitalize on Rudd’s awkward moment but moderated her comments after criticism from her party. Albanese has maintained strong standing in Washington, where he is well-regarded by lawmakers and foreign policy experts.
Trump is scheduled to attend the ASEAN summit in Malaysia on Sunday before heading to Japan for a meeting with newly appointed Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, the first woman to hold the position. Following his engagements in Asia, Trump will participate in the APEC summit in South Korea, where he is set to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping for the first time since 2019.
Nearly ten months into his presidency, Trump has yet to appoint an ambassador to Australia, leaving the diplomatic position vacant since Caroline Kennedy concluded her tenure in November 2024. Currently, the United States is represented in Australia by chargé d’affaires Erika Olson. Trump acknowledged this vacancy, stating, “I’m talking to your leader [Albanese], who was just here, and he’s a great guy, and I’m going to make sure we have somebody that he likes.” He mentioned having “one or two people” in mind for the role.
In his previous term, Trump left the Australian ambassador position unfilled for over two years until Arthur Culvahouse took up the role in March 2019. Even President Joe Biden took nearly a year into his term to nominate an ambassador.
As Trump engages with Asian leaders, he aims to secure trade agreements with both Malaysia and China. However, there are concerns regarding his stance on Taiwan, a region that has long been a focal point of U.S.-China relations. The United States has historically maintained a policy of strategic ambiguity regarding Taiwan, which operates independently but is not officially recognized by most nations due to China’s claims.
When asked about potential changes to U.S. policy on Taiwan while aboard Air Force One, Trump declined to elaborate, stating, “I think China wants to have 10 great years, and they can. Or they can have some bad years.” He also expressed hope that China would refrain from aggressive actions related to Taiwan, warning that such moves would be “very dangerous” for them.
