'I don't like you either': Trump confronts Australian envoy
What's the story
United States President Donald Trump openly expressed his dislike for Australia's ambassador, former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, during a meeting at the White House with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his aides on Monday. The brief exchange about Rudd started when an Australian reporter asked the president about Rudd's past comments. "Did an ambassador say something?" Trump replied. "I don't know anything about him...If he said bad, maybe he'd like to apologize," Trump said.
Unresolved tensions
'I probably never will'
Albanese then awkwardly pointed to Rudd, who was sitting in front of them. When Rudd tried to explain his past remarks by saying they were made before he took up his ambassadorial role, Trump interrupted him. "I don't like you either. I don't. And I probably never will," Trump said, leaving officials from both countries laughing nervously.
Twitter Post
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Kevin Rudd has been completely humiliated by President Trump as press gallery breaks out into laugher.
— Craig Kelly:🇦🇺Foundation for Economic Education (@craigkellyAFEE) October 20, 2025
First Trump says he doesn’t even know who the Australian Ambassador is, and then as Rudd tries to speak, Trump cuts him off, saying;
"I don’t like you either and probably… pic.twitter.com/RSdpDCBpZQ
Diplomatic response
Rudd was critical of Trump during his presidency
Australia's Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong later tried to downplay Trump's comments as "clearly tongue-in-cheek." She said, "We heard the laughter. We know that we had a very successful meeting and full credit to Kevin," while speaking to Australia's Nine Network. Rudd had been critical of Trump when he was out of office, calling him the "most destructive president in history" and a "traitor to the West." He also called Trump "a village idiot" and "not a leading intellectual force."
Criticism and appointment
Rudd deleted his comments later
Rudd later deleted these comments after Trump returned to power. He was appointed as ambassador during Joe Biden's presidency, with hopes that his knowledge of China would give him an edge in Washington. During the campaign last year, Trump had called Rudd "nasty" and predicted he wouldn't last long as ambassador in an interview with hard-right British politician Nigel Farage.
Apology
Rudd was heard apologizing
A half-hour later, after a fairly drama-free and friendly encounter between Trump and Australian Prime Minister Albanese, Rudd was heard apologizing to the president, bending across the table to apologize to the man he had labeled a "village idiot" four years before. According to Australian sources in the room, Trump told Rudd "all is forgiven," after the journalists left.