Kevin Rudd will finish as Australia’s US ambassador on March 31, 2026. Photo / Getty Images
Kevin Rudd will conclude his posting as Australia’s ambassador to the US in March, just months after a controversial incident involving Donald Trump.
Anthony Albanese announced Rudd’s exit from the role on Tuesday morning, thanking the former Labor leader for his efforts in advancing Australia-US relations.
“On behalf of our nation, we thank Kevin for his service to Australia and for taking forward Australia’s interests with our closest security ally,” Albanese told reporters in Canberra.
“It has been a complex area that has seen a change of presidency, [and] Kevin Rudd developed relationships across the board – across Congress, across the Senate, across Democrat and Republican members, and, of course, as well across civil society and [with] officials.”
Rudd will finish as Australia’s ambassador to the US on March 31, a year earlier than expected.
Rudd will join the Asia Society Policy Institute as its global president.
Albanese described him as “the world’s most eminent and sought-after expert on China and China-US relations”.
In a statement posted online, Rudd expressed his gratitude for Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong’s comments praising him for his work as ambassador.
“It has been an honour to serve as Australia’s Ambassador to the United States over the last three years,” he said.
He also thanked the trustees of Asia Society for offering him the position of global president CEO, as well as the positions as president of the Asia Society Policy Institute and chair of the Centre for China Analysis.
“I will be remaining in America working between New York and Washington on the future of US-China relations, which I have always believed to be the core question for the future stability of our region and the world,” he wrote.
“As a ‘think and do’ tank, Asia Society’s formidable Center for China Analysis will be an important platform to that end.”
His exit comes months after a controversial incident at the White House in October, where past criticisms of the US President were brought up during a bilateral meeting.
Before becoming Australia’s envoy in Washington, Rudd had called Trump a “village idiot” and “traitor to the West” on social media.
After being reminded of the comments, Trump told Australia’s ambassador: “I don’t like you, and I probably never will.”
After the back-and-forth, Rudd reportedly offered an apology to Trump, who accepted it.
It was not the only time Trump had bagged Rudd.
The President described Rudd as “not the brightest bulb” during an interview with Nigel Farage, now leader of the ultraconservative Reform political party in the UK, an interview in March 2024.
Farage told Trump that Rudd had “said the most horrible things” about him, including calling him a “destructive president” and a “traitor to the West”.
“He won’t be there long if that’s the case,” Trump responded.
“I don’t know much about him. I heard he was a little bit nasty.
“I hear he’s not the brightest bulb, but I don’t know much about him. If he’s at all hostile, he will not be there long.”
Albanese denied the Trump administration had any influence on Rudd’s exit from the role.
“During both the Democrat and Republican administrations, Kevin has worked in collaboration with our closest security ally and principal strategic partner to achieve concrete outcomes,” Albanese said.
He added the decision to step down was entirely Rudd’s, describing the former Labour leader’s work ethic as “unlike anyone” he had ever met.
“He has worked tirelessly. He’s moving on to a role that he believes is pivotal,” Albanese said.
“Kevin Rudd will tell you privately what he has said publicly, and what drove him to write the book, is that the relationship between the United States and China, the two big superpowers, is, he thinks, the most important one that will define the mid part of this century.
“He sees this as a continuation of his public service to not just Australia, but to the global community.
Rudd’s replacement has yet to be decided; however, Albanese confirmed a key requirement would be the ability “to reach across a broad spectrum of support”.
“That was something that Kevin Rudd was able to do. I remember speaking to him when he was at both the Democrat and the Republican conventions,” he said.
“I must say, Kevin’s advice and analysis … he was expecting the outcome that came, but he had an extraordinary capacity to work across the spectrum.
“So one of the things we’ll be looking for is someone with those personal skills as well as experience in foreign affairs.”
Rudd’s predecessor, Arthur Sinodinos, said he was “surprised” the ambassador was ending his term early after it was extended during Albanese’s visit in October.
“Diplomatic posts are normally three years – maybe a fourth or fifth year – so it’s happened very suddenly,” Sinodinos told Sky News.
“And clearly the fact is going the Asia Society, his old stamping ground, suggests that some work was put in before Christmas for this announcement to occur, I assume.”
The former Liberal minister went on to praise Rudd’s performance, saying he had “done a good job in Washington”.
“Again, [I’m] surprised why the government would agree to him going now, unless there’s some other personal reason for him going, and I can’t really speculate on that,” Sinodinos said.
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