By Riley Stuart, ABC
Kevin Rudd’s social media posts were deleted last week, but some people have not forgotten them.
Photo: AFP / Alex Wong
In short:
Dan Scavino, a close aide of Donald Trump’s, has posted what appears to be an ominous message to Kevin Rudd on X.
Scavino posted a GIF of sand trickling through an hourglass next to a message from Australia’s ambassador to the US on Tuesday – something that usually signifies when someone’s “time’s up”.
What’s next?
What role Mr Scavino may have in the next White House is yet to be announced by Trump.
A key Donald Trump aide appears to have sent the clearest message yet about what the incoming White House administration may think of Australia’s ambassador to the US, Kevin Rudd.
In an ominous post to his 2 million followers on X, Dan Scavino uploaded a GIF of sand trickling through an hourglass next to Rudd’s official statement on Trump’s election victory.
GIFs are short moving images commonplace in social media interactions, and can be used in place of text to make a point. This one signifies when someone or something’s “time’s up”.
Scavino, who had known the president-elect for years and was his former golf caddie, served as a close assistant to Trump in his previous administration.
He had an office near Trump’s in the West Wing, and was expected to feature prominently again when the billionaire takes office in January.
The ABC had contacted the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Australia’s embassy in Washington for comment on the post, which was uploaded Tuesday, local time.
Several posts on Rudd’s official X account criticising Trump were deleted last week after the results of the US presidential election became clear.
In one particularly scathing post from 2020, Rudd – who was twice Australia’s prime minister – described Trump as “the most destructive president in history”.
“He drags America and democracy through the mud. He thrives on fomenting, not healing, division. He abuses Christianity, church and bible to justify violence.”
In another, he described Trump as “a traitor to the West”.
On top of all that, earlier this week a video of Rudd describing Trump as “a village idiot” several years ago surfaced in the media.
Donald Trump described Kevin Rudd as “nasty” in an interview earlier this year.
Photo: AFP / Jim Watson
The posts made headlines earlier this year when Trump was asked about them in an interview with his personal friend, UK politician Nigel Farage.
Trump described Rudd as “nasty” and said he “won’t be there long”, despite the fact the president had no power over the people who countries nominate as their ambassadors.
At the time, Australia’s foreign minister, Penny Wong, insisted Rudd’s position would not be in jeopardy, even if Trump won the presidential election.
While unaware of Scavino’s post on X, opposition leader Peter Dutton was on Wednesday asked about Rudd’s position during an interview on ABC Radio National Breakfast.
Dutton said Rudd had been effective in the role and his previous comments were an issue for the Labor government.
“I hope he’s able to form a relationship with the new administration as he’s done with the current one,” he said.
Rudd had served as Australia’s ambassador to the US since March 2023.
In the lead-up to the US presidential election, senior diplomats told the ABC Australia could lean on former prime minister Scott Morrison in an unofficial capacity in the event of a Trump victory because the two still maintained a relationship.