Greg Moriarty, the current head of Australia’s Defence Department, is set to become the country’s newest ambassador to the United States, taking over from former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.

Since stepping into the role in late 2017, Moriarty has guided the department and previously held the position of chief of staff for Malcolm Turnbull during his tenure as Liberal Prime Minister.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese revealed this appointment on Sunday, just ahead of Dr. Rudd’s anticipated departure from the role at the end of March.

“Mr. Moriarty is a distinguished public servant,” Albanese stated on ABC’s Insiders program.

“I admire his poise and the strong relationships he maintains in the United States,” he added.

“The AUKUS relationship is central to our relationship with the United States and he’s in a very strong position to be on top of all of that detail.”

Secretary of the Department of Defence Greg Moriarty in February 2025. Source: AAP / Mick Tsikas

Dr Rudd, a former Labor prime minister, was appointed in 2023 but resigned from the role a year early.

He faced a tumultuous period under the Trump administration, having previously been a strident critic of the US president.

Mr Albanese said Dr Rudd could look back on his time as ambassador “with real pride”.

Albanese says Trump’s comments on allied forces ‘unacceptable’

Mr Trump recently sparked outrage after claiming troops from NATO countries had stayed away from the front line in Afghanistan, leading to condemnation from UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and other allies.

Forty-seven Australians were killed in the 20-year conflict, while 261 of the nation’s personnel were wounded before troops were withdrawn in mid-2021.

Mr Albanese labelled Mr Trump’s comments “unacceptable” while noting the US president had since walked back the remarks.

“Those 47 Australian families who will be hurting by these comments, they deserve our absolute respect, our admiration,” he said.

“They were certainly on the front lines along with our other allies, to defend democracy and freedom and to defend our national interest.”

RSL national president Peter Tinley slammed the US president’s remarks as factually wrong, historically ignorant and deeply offensive.

“I call on the prime minister and the leader of the opposition to reaffirm, in the clearest terms, that Australia’s service in Afghanistan was conducted with courage, professionalism and distinction,” he said.

In an interview with Fox Business Network, Trump earlier said he was not sure NATO would be there to support the US if and when requested.

“You know, they’ll say they sent some troops to Afghanistan or this or that — and they did, they stayed a little back, a little off the front lines,” he said.

Trump on Sunday morning posted a message on Truth Social praising the “great and very brave soldiers of the United Kingdom” and said they “were among the greatest of all warriors”.

The online post came after a discussion between Trump and Starmer about the issue on Saturday, UK officials said.

For the latest from SBS News, download our app and subscribe to our newsletter.