Kevin Rudd's defiant Donald Trump message
Kevin Rudd says Australia is “ready” to deal with Donald Trump amid questions over the former Labor prime minister’s future as Australia’s ambassador in Washington.
In a prerecorded address to a forum in Sydney on Wednesday, the envoy said Mr Trump’s historic second White House win was “important for Australia” and that the embassy in Washington had been “working hard” to prepare for it.
“The election of the president of the United States is an important moment for the world,” Mr Rudd told the Sydney International Strategy Forum.
“It’s important for our region. It’s important for Australia.
“Here at the embassy, we’ve been working hard through the course of the last year to ensure that we were well prepared for this moment. And the bottom line is, we’re ready.”
There has been plenty of discussion surrounding Rudd's future in his role following several past criticisms of Trump, including calling him a "village idiot