An adviser to United States president-elect Donald Trump has appeared to ship a warning signal to Australia’s ambassador to the US, Kevin Rudd.
On Tuesday, Trump aide Dan Scavino reshared a submit that Rudd made on 7 November congratulating Trump on his victory and saying Australia “seems ahead to working intently” with the president-elect and his administration.
Scavino shared the submit with an animated GIF that confirmed sand trickling down by an hourglass — doubtlessly meaning to sign that Rudd’s time within the position was working out.
Former prime minister Rudd, who was appointed as Australia’s ambassador to the US in March 2023, has made a number of feedback disparaging Trump about his first presidency, having beforehand referred to as him “nuts”, “probably the most damaging president in historical past” and a “traitor to the West”.
Within the lead-up to the US election earlier this 12 months, Rudd appeared to have modified his tune.
“If President Trump is elected on 5 November, we’re not going over some chasm,” Rudd mentioned in July, including it could be a “completely navigable and manageable” relationship.
Final week, because it grew to become clear Trump can be the following US president, Rudd deleted a number of posts from his X account that had been vital of Trump.
In March this 12 months, and advised he “wouldn’t final lengthy” as ambassador if Trump had been re-elected.
An Australian authorities spokesperson responded to Trump’s feedback on the time, saying Rudd was “doing a great job as Australia’s ambassador to the USA”.
Can the US select who Australia’s ambassador will probably be?
Regardless of Trump’s remarks and Scavino’s posts, neither Trump nor anybody else in his cupboard can decide about whether or not or not Rudd is Australia’s ambassador to the US.
Usually, the Division of International Affairs and Commerce (DFAT) seeks expressions of curiosity within the position, and the division’s secretary makes suggestions to the international minister. In the end, the federal government of the day can select whoever it likes.
International Minister Penny Wong expressed help for Rudd earlier this 12 months amid Trump’s criticisms, saying he was doing an “glorious job” and confirming that he would keep within the position regardless of who was elected president.
Scavino served in Trump’s earlier administration because the White Home deputy chief of workers for communications and director of social media.
SBS Information has contacted DFAT for remark.
