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United States Donald Trump says 'nasty' Kevin Rudd 'not the brightest bulb'
20 Mar 2024
SBS
In an interview with GB News, the former US president said he had heard Rudd was "not the brightest bulb" and suggested he would not last long as Australia's ambassador to the United States.
Key Points
- Donald Trump has described Australia's US ambassador Kevin Rudd as "nasty" and "not the brightest bulb".
- Rudd has previously criticised Trump, labelling him a "destructive president" who is "a traitor to the West".
- An Australian Government spokesperson has said Rudd is "doing a good job" in response to Trump's comments.
The Australian Government has responded to criticism of Kevin Rudd, Australia's ambassador to the United States.
In an exclusive interview with GB News, Trump — who is the in the 2024 US presidential election — described Rudd as "nasty" and suggested he "would not last long" if he is re-elected.
An Australian government spokesperson responded to Trump's comments.
"Kevin Rudd is doing a good job as Australia’s ambassador to the United States," the spokesperson said.
Foreign minister Penny Wong went further, saying Rudd was doing an "excellent job".
"He has been active in engaging with members of Congress on both sides of politics and he is a former prime minister, former foreign minister," she said.
"His experience and skills mean he will be able to work closely with whoever is elected by the American people as the United States president."
The interview was conducted with high-profile , who asked about and Rudd on behalf of Sky News Australia.
Rudd, a former prime minister of Australia, has previously described Trump as a "destructive president" who is "a traitor to the West".
In response to Farage's questions, Trump suggested Rudd's tenure in the position would be brief if he is re-elected.
"He won't be there long if that's the case; I don't know much about him," Trump said.
"I heard he was a little bit nasty, I hear he's not the brightest bulb. I don't know much about him, but if he's at all hostile, he will not be there long."
