Before his 2023 appointment as ambassador, Kevin Rudd took to social media platform X to express strong criticism of Donald Trump’s presidency. He labeled Trump as “the most destructive president in history” and accused him of being a “traitor to the West.”

In response, Trump commented, “I’m not familiar with him. If he made negative remarks, perhaps an apology is due.”

Trump then turned to Anthony Albanese, questioning, “Did an ambassador express something negative about me? Spare me the details.”

During a meeting at the White House on Tuesday, President Trump experienced a tense exchange with Kevin Rudd, the Australian ambassador to the US. Source: AAP / Lukas Coch

Rudd was later pointed out in the room, and began trying to explain that he made the posts before he took his ambassador position. But he was quickly cut off by Trump.

“I don’t like you either,” the president said, to laughter in the room, including from Albanese. “I don’t, and I probably never will.”

In November last year, as the US election results became clear, Rudd deleted several posts from his account.

But they didn’t go unnoticed: When Rudd made a post on X congratulating Trump on his victory, Trump aide Dan Scavino, now the White House’s deputy chief, reposted it with an animated GIF that showed sand trickling down through an hourglass.

In March last year, Trump described Rudd as “nasty” and suggested he “would not last long” as ambassador if Trump were re-elected.

— Alex Gallagher