Rudd insists he's ready to work closely with the new Trump administration

“I’m Kevin from Queensland and I’m here to help.”

Australia’s former two-time Labor prime minister didn’t quite resort to that old catchphrase from his campaigning days, but that was pretty much the gist of his message to a United States Studies Centre forum held in Sydney.

Appearing via video link to address the conference on Wednesday (20 November), Kevin Rudd – now Australia’s Ambassador to Washington DC – said he and his team are ready for the incoming second administration of Donald Trump.

“The election of the President of the United States is an important moment for the world,” Mr Rudd said.

“It’s important for our region; it’s important for Australia.

“Here at the embassy we’ve been working hard through the course of the last year to ensure that we were well prepared for this moment.

“And the bottom line is, we’re ready.

“The team here at the embassy and the Government of Australia are ready to work closely with the new Trump administration to continue to realise the benefits of what is a very strong economic and security partnership.”

Good sentiments and well delivered, but for this ambassador, it was also a not-so-veiled pitch for his own job security.

Rudd’s tenure has come under a cloud since social media posts critical of Trump, which he made before being appointed ambassador, became public.

In those posts he labelled Trump a “traitor to the West” and the “most destructive president in history”, most likely not expecting the former president to be returning to the top job.

In March, during the drawn-out US election campaign, Mr Trump was asked about the social media posts and replied that he didn’t know much about Mr Rudd.

But he nevertheless described Rudd as “a little bit nasty” and “not the brightest bulb” and suggested he wouldn’t last long as ambassador once he (Trump) won the election.

Speculation over Rudd’s future has skyrocketed with the Trump victory.

The ambassador subsequently posted a statement on X saying he had removed and deleted his earlier Tweets.

However, a key member of Trump’s transition team – and former deputy White House chief of staff – Daniel Scavino Jr, reposted that statement and added a gif of an hourglass suggesting time was running out for Mr Rudd.

Political commentary in Australia has been varied, with some suggesting Rudd’s position has become untenable, while others saying he should be allowed to keep his job.

Shadow foreign minister Simon Birmingham, during an address to the National Press Club last week, noted that Mr Trump had appointed a running mate and other senior members of his team who previously heavily criticised him.

He noted that Anthony Albanese was aware of the Rudd posts when he appointed him ambassador.

“Hopefully, the type of forgiveness that has been demonstrated to those members of the new administration will be extended in this case as well,” Mr Birmingham said.

“Ambassador Rudd and the Prime Minister are the ones who are in the box seat to best make the assessment in coming weeks or months about how effectively he is going to be able to continue to have the influence and get the outcomes that Australia needs.”

Former Liberal prime minister Tony Abbott came to Mr Rudd’s defence, saying the US administration should not be prescribing who can and can’t be Australia’s ambassador to Washington.

Another former Liberal prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, who took Mr Trump to task over refugee intakes when he was president in his first term, also said Mr Albanese should stick with Mr Rudd.

“I didn’t have success with Trump as prime minister because I kissed his arse,” Mr Turnbull said.

“You have to be tough.”

The US’s outgoing Ambassador to Canberra, Caroline Kennedy, told the Press Club this week that Mr Rudd was an extremely effective diplomat.

“Ambassador Rudd has the full confidence of the Prime Minister, and whoever is the ambassador is a choice of the government that sends them to Washington DC,” she said.

“I will say that I have seen Ambassador Rudd. He’s incredibly energetic. He’s forged really strong relationships in Congress on both sides of the aisle, so I’m sure he is fully capable.

“I have seen Australians argue, so I’m sure he’s capable of dealing with whatever comes.”

For his part, Mr Rudd is trying his best to portray a ‘situation normal’ and ‘full steam ahead’ posture.

In his speech on Wednesday, he talked of this “age of strategic competition” and said the relationship between the US and Australia has never been more relevant, or more important.

“We live in a world of many challenges and we are clear that the region we want, the interests we have and the values we share require and call for our two nations to work together,” Mr Rudd said.

“And that is what we will continue to do with President Trump and his incoming administration.

“We here at the embassy in Washington look forward to contributing to that in the future.”

He made no mention of his social media activity – past or present.