SYDNEY, January 26. /TASS/. Australian authorities have recalled Kevin Rudd, a critic of US leader Donald Trump, from his post as ambassador to the United States. This was announced by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
“The Government has recommended that the Governor-General (Australia, Samantha Mostyn) appoint Greg Moriarty as Australian Ambassador to the United States of America,” Mr Albanese said in a statement released by his office.
The head of government noted that Moriarty, who previously served as defense minister (in 2017) and served in the US Central Command, “has exceptional experience in developing the Australia-US alliance”. “He held senior positions in the Prime Minister's Office, national and international security advisor, then chief of staff, and headed the department responsible for developing and implementing AUKUS projects,” Albanese said.
The Australian government previously said that the new Australian ambassador to the US would not be appointed until the end of March, when Mr. Rudd, head of the Australian diplomatic mission since December 2022, will leave this position to assume the position of president and CEO of the Asia Society research organization.
Before being appointed ambassador to the US, former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on his X page continuously posted statements harshly criticizing Trump: calling him “the most destructive president in history” and accusing him of “trampling America and democracy into the mud”. After Trump won the 2024 US presidential election, Rudd deleted some of his publications, and in October 2025 even apologized to the US leader, who said he did not like the Australian ambassador.
