Trump Confronts Australian Ambassador to the US: I Don't Like You

On the 20th, US President Trump mocked Australian Ambassador to the US and former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in front of the media during a meeting with Australian Prime Minister Albanese at the White House.

In 2020, Rudd had referred to Trump as "the most destructive president in history."

When a reporter asked Trump about Rudd's past remarks, Trump said, "Maybe he will apologize now."

Trump then turned to Albanese and asked, "Where is he? Still working for you?" Albanese gave an awkward smile and pointed to Rudd, who was sitting directly opposite.

Rudd responded, saying those comments were made before he became ambassador, but Trump directly interrupted: "I don't like you either, and I probably never will."

The officials present brushed it off with laughter, and reporters quickly moved on to other questions.

Afterwards, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong played down the incident, saying Trump was "clearly joking," emphasizing the success of the meeting and saying, "The meeting was very successful and Rudd played an indispensable role."

Rudd, from the Labor Party, had described Trump on social media after his first term as "the most destructive president in history" and even "a traitor who betrayed the West". He later deleted those comments after Trump was re-elected.

Rudd was appointed Australian Ambassador to the US during Biden's administration. Fluent in Chinese and familiar with China affairs, he is seen as influential in Washington. During last year's campaign, Trump called Rudd "vicious" and predicted "he won't last long as ambassador."

Despite this episode, the overall meeting was smooth, with Trump and Albanese signing a critical minerals agreement that was recently finalized.

According to the agreement released by both governments, in the next six months the two countries will each invest $1 billion in mining and processing projects, and set a price floor for critical minerals—something Western mining companies have long sought.

A White House statement added that these investments will target critical mineral deposits worth up to $53 billion in total, though it did not specify the exact types or locations.

The term "critical minerals" includes various minerals such as rare earths, lithium, and nickel, which are used in products such as electric vehicles, aircraft engines, and military radar. According to the US Geological Survey, China has the world's largest rare earth reserves, while Australia is also rich in mineral resources.