Kevin Rudd, Australia's ambassador to the United States and former prime minister, has made highly critical remarks about Donald Trump in the past, calling him "the most destructive president in history," a "traitor to the West," and a "village idiot." These comments were made before Rudd took the ambassadorial position and were later deleted after Trump won back the presidency in 2024. During a White House meeting involving Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and President Trump in October 2025, Trump confronted Rudd jokingly but pointedly, saying, "I don’t like you either, and I probably never will," which caused laughter among those present. Rudd apologized during the meeting, which Trump accepted, and this helped "clear the air" between them. Malcolm Turnbull, a former Australian prime minister, described Trump's remarks about Rudd as "tongue-in-cheek" and opposed calls to remove Rudd from the ambassador role, suggesting it would reflect poorly on Australia. The overall meeting maintained a positive tone and highlighted strong U.S.-Australia alliance cooperation despite the tense exchange.