Donald Trump has slammed former prime minister and ambassador to the United States Kevin Rudd, describing him as ‘nasty’ and ‘not the brightest bulb’.
When questioned by Sky News Australia contributor Nigel Farage, the former president also suggested that Rudd may not be able to keep his role as ambassador if he was elected again as president of the United States in November.
His comments come after Rudd described Trump as ‘nuts’, ‘the most destructive president in history’ and a ‘traitor to the West’.
‘Things have changed in Australia. We’ve got a Labor government. The previous ambassador, Joe Hockey, I think was quite a good friend of yours. Now they’ve appointed Kevin Rudd,’ Farage said.
‘He has said the most horrible things; you were a destructive president, a traitor to the West, he’s now Australia’s ambassador in Washington.’
Trump snapped back: ‘I don’t know, he won’t be there long if that’s the case.
‘I don’t know much about him. I heard he was a little bit nasty. I hear he’s not the brightest bulb.
‘If he is at all hostile, he will not be there for long.’
This is the first time Trump has publicly mentioned Rudd and if he wins the presidential race, any tension between the pair could create issues for Canberra-Washington relations.
Since being appointed as US ambassador last April, Rudd has been actively working on relationships with both Republicans and Democrats.
‘In terms of the ability of the Australian government to manage the relationship with whoever wins the next election, Republican or Democrat, we are well equipped for that task,’ he told Newscorp.
But many political commentators believe Rudd’s time in Washington is limited and he will not survive a second Trump presidency.
Donald Trump has slammed former prime minister and ambassador to the United States Kevin Rudd – and described him as ‘nasty’ and ‘not the brightest bulb’
His comments come after Rudd described Trump as ‘nuts’, ‘the most destructive president in history’ and a ‘traitor to the West’
Earlier this year, Sky News host Andrew Bolt told the ambassador to ‘get ready to pack your bags’.
‘How could Rudd ask Trump for favours for Australia when that sensitive boaster will know how freely Rudd has smeared him around the world?’, Bolt wrote.
He accused Rudd of having ‘lousy judgement’.
‘Fancy writing off Trump as a violent nutter and wrecker who was finished. That’s a serious underestimation,’ he wrote.
This view is reflected by Liberal Party Defence and National Security Policy Chair Lincoln Parker who told the network Rudd will have to go if Trump is re-elected because they go together like ‘oil and water’.
‘If the Australian government wants to communicate effectively with a Trump administration, they’re going to have to find a new Australian Ambassador in Washington DC,’ Parker said.
‘Kevin Rudd is going to have to go and maybe go back to the role he had at the Asia Society because that is not a good mix.’
But there are those who believe Rudd will survive if Trump re-enters the White House in November.
Joe Hockey, Australia’s US ambassador during Trump’s presidency, told the Australian that Rudd’s tough stance on China will curry favour with a Republican administration.
‘I think if Donald Trump is elected, on day one he will have a long list of people that he will want to seek vengeance against. And Kevin Rudd is not one of them,’ Hockey said.
‘His credentials as a China hawk are going to be more important than criticism he had (of Trump) previously and he has also been reaching out to all sides of the Republican Party, that’s the truth of it.’
MRudd acknowledged that there are always ‘going to be disagreements’ between diplomats and administrations.
‘That’s the normal business of diplomacy. We usually just conduct them privately,’ he told News Corp.
Rudd said he was willing to meet Trump but admitted he had not made a direct approach.
‘The last thing you want to do as a candidate is waste your time with a bunch of well-meaning foreign diplomats,’ he said.