The Australian Ambassador to the US, former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, announced on the 13th that he will end his term early.
According to AFP, Rudd's diplomatic tenure in the US was overshadowed by tensions with President Donald Trump, who even publicly humiliated him during a White House meeting: "I don't like you either."
Rudd will leave his post on March 31, taking up the role of chairman at the New York think tank, the Asia Society. Although Australian Prime Minister Albanese emphasized that this was Rudd’s “personal decision,” the general consensus is that it is related to his strained relationship with Trump.
The report also recreated an awkward scene at the White House last October. During a televised meeting, Trump suddenly turned to Albanese and asked, "Where is he? Is he still working for you?" Albanese smiled awkwardly and pointed at Rudd, who was sitting directly across from him.
Rudd tried to explain, "Mr. President, those (criticisms) were made before I took this position." But Trump rudely interrupted him: “I don't like you. I don't like you. And I might never like you.”
Rudd was appointed as Ambassador to the US in 2022. Prior to his appointment, he had described Trump as a “political burden,” a “global problem,” and a “traitor to the West.”
In 2020, Rudd posted on social media, calling Trump “the most destructive president in history,” criticizing him for “dragging America and democracy through the mud,” and writing that Trump “liked to incite division, not heal it.”