Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese publicly backed his ambassador to the United States, Kevin Rudd, after Donald Trump told the former Australian leader he did not like him during a meeting at the White House.
The encounter took place during Mr Albanese’s first meeting with the US president on Monday where the two leaders discussed trade and security ties and signed an $8.5bn rare earths and critical minerals deal.
When Mr Trump was asked about Mr Rudd’s past comments, including now-deleted tweets that were highly critical of him, the president asked: “Did an ambassador say something bad about me?”
Mr Rudd, who was Australia’s prime minister from 2007 to 2010 and briefly again in 2013, acknowledged he had made those comments before taking up his Washington posting. Mr Trump then interrupted him: “I don’t like you either. And I probably never will.”
The exchange prompted laughter around the Cabinet Room.
Mr Albanese later downplayed the incident, describing it as “just some banter” and insisting that “all’s good” between Mr Trump and Mr Rudd.
“You know, it was just some banter that went on in response to a question that was asked of the president,” he told reporters.
“It wasn’t certainly a significant moment.”
Speaking at a Friends of Australia breakfast in Washington that was attended by US lawmakers, Mr Albanese again praised Mr Rudd’s performance. “If there is a harder working ambassador on The Hill, then please let me know, because Kevin works his guts out and he seems to know everyone,” he said.
The prime minister later attributed much of the success of his US visit, which included the signing of the rare earths deal, to Mr Rudd’s efforts. “I thank you today, very much publicly – for the success of this visit is down to your hard work,” he said at a separate event marking the 140th anniversary of the mining giant BHP.
Mr Rudd had described Mr Trump in 2020 as the “most destructive president in history”, a “traitor to the West”, and a “village idiot”.
A big week for the US–Australia partnership.
— Kevin Rudd AC (@AmboRudd) October 22, 2025
An $8.5B pipeline to boost critical minerals and supply-chain security.
New defence investments to strengthen regional safety and security.
$1.44T in Australian superannuation investment powering prosperity across both nations.… pic.twitter.com/7UiYgb7P8A
Once reporters had left the room following the White House exchange on Monday, Mr Trump reportedly told Mr Rudd that “all is forgiven”. According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Mr Albanese told reporters in Washington: “To quote president Trump, all is forgiven.”
“Kevin Rudd is doing a fantastic job as the ambassador and I’ve got to say, up on The Hill, every single person who we met with and the people who spoke this morning all say exactly the same thing,” the prime minister said.
Australia’s opposition leader, Sussan Ley, had argued that the ambassador’s position had become “untenable” and called for his dismissal.
“I’m a bit surprised that the president didn’t even know who the Australian ambassador was, and that in itself tells you what the relationship is like,” she said.
“When the ambassador is the punchline of the joke and the prime minister is actually laughing at him, I think it tells you all we need to know about the fact it's probably not reasonable he continue in the role,” she told Channel Seven.
