(Bloomberg) -- Australia’s Ambassador to the US Kevin Rudd has revealed that he deleted a number of social media posts in which he had been critical of Donald Trump, aiming for a clean slate in ties with the now president-elect.
Rudd, a former Australian prime minister, said in a statement on Thursday: “Out of respect for the office of President of the United States, and following the election of President Trump, Ambassador Rudd has now removed these past commentaries from his personal website and social media channels.”
Rudd said the decision was made to “eliminate the possibility of such comments being misconstrued” as official views in his current role as Australia’s ambassador in Washington, according to the statement posted on his website.
After losing the 2013 election, Rudd became a commentator on global affairs, focusing in particular on the strategic competition between the US and China. During Trump’s first term in office, Rudd was heavily critical of the US leader, calling him among other things the “most destructive president in history.” He also described Trump as a “traitor to the West” for his continuing warmth toward Vladimir Putin following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Those comments have now been removed from Rudd’s account on social media site X.
There has been speculation that Rudd would be replaced if Trump returned to office, given those previous comments. Asked about them in March, Trump said that Rudd wouldn’t stay in Washington if he was “hostile” and called him “not the brightest bulb.”
Subscribe to The Bloomberg Australia Podcast on Apple, Spotify, on YouTube, or wherever you listen.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who spoke with Trump earlier Thursday to congratulate him on his win and who chose Rudd for the role of ambassador, said the former Australian leader would stay in his current role in the US.
©2024 Bloomberg L.P.