In an unexpected and rather tense moment at the White House on Monday, October 20, 2025, former U.S. President Donald Trump publicly expressed his disapproval of Australia’s ambassador, Kevin Rudd, a former Prime Minister. This candid exchange occurred during what was otherwise a cordial meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, aimed at solidifying a crucial submarine deal.
The incident unfolded when a reporter brought up Mr. Rudd’s past criticisms of the American leader. Trump, ever direct, responded with a pointed remark: “Maybe he’ll like to apologize.”
He then turned to Prime Minister Albanese, seated beside him, asking, “Where is he? Is he still working for you?” Albanese, visibly uncomfortable, gestured towards Rudd, who was sitting just in front of them at the cabinet table.
Mr. Rudd attempted to clarify, stating, “That was before I took this position, Mr. President.” However, Trump swiftly interrupted, delivering the blunt and memorable line: “I don’t like you either. I don’t. And I probably never will.”
A ripple of awkward laughter spread among the officials from both allied nations before another reporter quickly changed the subject.
Later, Australia’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Penny Wong, tried to downplay the remarks, describing them as “clearly tongue-in-cheek.” She added, “We heard the laughter. We know that we had a very successful meeting and full credit to Kevin.”
It’s worth noting that Mr. Rudd, a prominent figure from Albanese’s Labor Party, had been a vocal critic of Trump during his time out of office. In social media posts, Rudd had labeled Trump as the “most destructive President in history” and a “traitor to the West” who “drags America and democracy through the mud” following the 2020 election and the U.S. Capitol riot.
These critical comments were subsequently deleted by Mr. Rudd after Trump’s return to the White House.
Appointed as ambassador during President Joe Biden’s term, Mr. Rudd, a Mandarin-speaking former diplomat, was seen as a strategic choice, with Australia hoping his China expertise would bolster his influence in Washington.
However, Mr. Trump had previously expressed his disapproval during last year’s campaign, telling hard-right British politician Nigel Farage in an interview that Rudd was “nasty” and wouldn’t last long in his ambassadorial role.