What should we do about Kevin? Shadow Foreign Minister says forgive him

Shadow Foreign Minister Simon Birmingham believes Australia’s Ambassador to the United States Kevin Rudd should remain in the job despite previously criticising president-elect Donald Trump.

But not all the Coalition’s ranks agree. Another senior Liberal suggests the former Labor prime minister should prepare to exit his Washington posting.

Speaking at the National Press Club this week, Mr Birmingham was quite generous towards the foreign policy approaches of previous Australian governments from both sides of politics and weighed in on the security of Mr Rudd’s tenure.

Mr Rudd has used social media to describe Mr Trump as an enemy to democracy and a “traitor” but has since deleted those posts out of respect for the Executive Office of the President.

The Shadow Foreign Minister said those comments should stay in the past and believed Mr Trump would be quite forgiving even though the president-elect said during the presidential campaign that Mr Rudd wouldn’t last long in the job.

Mr Birmingham said while he was keeping an open mind about Mr Rudd’s future, he wanted to see him succeed in the role.

He noted Mr Trump had appointed a running mate and other senior members of his team who previously heavily criticised him.

“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.”

Mr Birmingham said both he and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton “have wanted to see Kevin Rudd succeed all along”.

But he added Prime Minister Anthony Albanese knew the “risks” of appointing Mr Rudd as ambassador to Washington at a time when Mr Trump had declared his intention to run for president again.

Mr Dutton has subsequently suggested Mr Rudd could be on borrowed time, pointing out his appointment was a “captain’s pick” and some inside the Labor Party were now briefing against the ambassador.

Shortly after Mr Birmingham’s address, WA Liberal Senator Dean Smith broke ranks with his party to suggest Mr Rudd should be recalled.

“I don’t think Kevin Rudd is operating from a position of strength at the moment,” Mr Smith said during a radio interview.

“If I was the foreign minister, I’d probably ask him to pack his bags…

“I just don’t think he’s up to the job anymore.”

Acting Prime Minister Richard Marles said Mr Rudd was highly successful as Australia’s ambassador and had worked “across the entire political spectrum” in Washington.

He maintained the Australian Government’s confidence in Mr Rudd and said we were “well placed to advance our interests” with the future Trump administration.

“Kevin has been really important in terms of introducing us to a number of figures who may play a part in the Trump administration going forwards,” Mr Marles said.

“I really have no doubt that once President Trump is sworn in again, Kevin will be able to play a really important role representing Australia… to that administration.”

A key member of Trump’s transition team – and former deputy White House chief of staff – Daniel Scavino Jr, fuelled speculation over Mr Rudd’s position by reposting the ambassador’s statement on X that he had deleted his old Tweets. Mr Scavino Jr added a gif of an hourglass suggesting time was running out for Mr Rudd.

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 told the media.

“You have to be tough.”