Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has leapt to the defence of Kevin Rudd after the foreign ambassador was publicly humiliated by US President Donald Trump.
The highly-anticipated face-to-face meeting Albanese and Trump at the White House took a dramatic turn after the US President was asked a press conference whether he any concerns about previous comments made by Rudd.
The Australian ambassador to the US and former PM previously labelled Trump as a ‘village idiot’ and the ‘most destructive’ president in US history.
The question from Sky News political editor Andrew Clennell prompted Trump to look across the table at Rudd and say: ‘I don’t like you either, and probably never will.’
One day on, Albanese was full of praise for Rudd at a Friends of Australia Caucus gathering in Washington DC on Tuesday.
It’s despite growing calls back home for Rudd to be sacked.
‘If there’s a harder working ambassador on the Hill, then please let me know because Kevin works his guts out and he seems to know everything,’ Albanese said.
He later downplayed the awkward exchange as just ‘banter’ as he praised Rudd involvement in organising his meeting with Trump.
‘All’s good. Kevin Rudd’s doing a fantastic job,’ Albanese told ABC’s News Breakfast on Wednesday morning.
Anthony Albanese (right) has leapt to the defence of Kevin Rudd (left) following the foreign ambassador’s awkward exchange with President Trump
‘And the work that he did into this outcome is certainly recognised by me, and recognised by all of his American friends as well.’
Albanese confirmed that Rudd apologised to Trump shortly after the fiery exchange.
‘He said to Kevin Rudd that all was forgiven,’ he said.
Albanese was asked about the mounting calls led by Opposition Leader Sussan Ley for Rudd to be sacked.
More to come.
