Kevin Rudd

Kevin Rudd

Kevin Rudd 0 Skip to Content Kevin Rudd About Books Shirts Media National Apology Foundation Contact Open Menu Close Menu Kevin Rudd About Books Shirts Media National Apology Foundation Contact Open Menu Close Menu About Books Shirts Media National Apology Foundation Contact &nbspKevin&nbspRudd &nbsp26th&nbspPrime&nbspMinister&nbspof&nbspAustralia   About Kevin Born and raised in country Queensland, Kevin Rudd became Australia’s 26th Prime Minister in 2007 after leading the Australian Labor Party into government after more than eleven years in opposition. Kevin served as Prime Minister from 2007 to 2010, and again in 2013. He was also Australia’s Foreign Minister between 2010 and 2012. A global authority on China, the Australian Government announced in December 2022 that he would be a

‘Heat and light’: The challenge facing Kevin Rudd’s successor - Capital Brief

‘Heat and light’: The challenge facing Kevin Rudd’s successor    Capital Brief [Tue, 31 Mar 2026 07:00:00 GMT] Kevin Rudd - Britannica Kevin Rudd    Britannica

Australian PMs have addressed the nation only a handful of times. Anthony Albanese joins their ranks - The Guardian

Australian PMs have addressed the nation only a handful of times. Anthony Albanese joins their ranks    The Guardian

As Rudd leaves his post, is the US alliance in good shape? - The Australian

As Rudd leaves his post, is the US alliance in good shape?    The Australian

Out with the old in with the new: Ambassador Rudd’s legacy and replacement - Strategic Analysis Australia

Out with the old in with the new: Ambassador Rudd’s legacy and replacement    Strategic Analysis Australia

Australia and the Future of Deterrence and Diplomacy in the Indo-Pacific: A Discussion with H.E. Kevin Rudd - Perry World House

Australia and the Future of Deterrence and Diplomacy in the Indo-Pacific: A Discussion with H.E. Kevin Rudd    Perry World House

Defence secretary Greg Moriarty to replace Kevin Rudd as US ambassador - AFR

Defence secretary Greg Moriarty to replace Kevin Rudd as US ambassador    AFR

Defence department chief Greg Moriarty to succeed Kevin Rudd as Australian ambassador to US - The Guardian

Defence department chief Greg Moriarty to succeed Kevin Rudd as Australian ambassador to US    The Guardian

Greenland is why Rudd’s DC replacement must be a diplomat not ALP mate - AFR

Greenland is why Rudd’s DC replacement must be a diplomat not ALP mate    AFR

Kevin Rudd steps down as Australia's ambassador to the US - SBS Australia

Kevin Rudd steps down as Australia's ambassador to the US    SBS Australia

Australia’s Ambassador to the United States of America - Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs

Australia’s Ambassador to the United States of America    Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs

Press conference, Parliament House, Canberra - Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs

Press conference, Parliament House, Canberra    Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs

The sort of world in which Rudd has lived most of his career is now gone - Australian Broadcasting Corporation

The sort of world in which Rudd has lived most of his career is now gone    Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Who will replace Rudd as US ambassador? Defence boss, career diplomat and former ministers in mix | Kevin Rudd - The Guardian

Who will replace Rudd as US ambassador? Defence boss, career diplomat and former ministers in mix | Kevin Rudd    The Guardian

View from The Hill: Kevin Rudd, a controversial energy ball as ambassador to US, quits early - The Conversation

View from The Hill: Kevin Rudd, a controversial energy ball as ambassador to US, quits early    The Conversation

Anti-Trump blog posts — Ambassador diplomatic liability

Rudd authored multiple blog posts and public statements attacking Donald Trump between 2016 and 2023, calling him 'the most destructive president in history', 'a traitor to the west', and 'village idiot'. When appointed Ambassador in March 2023, these posts remained publicly accessible. Rudd quietly scrubbed them from his website after Trump's 2024 election victory. Trump publicly rebuked Rudd during the campaign. Raises serious questions about the judgement of appointing a partisan figure to the most critical diplomatic post at a politically sensitive time.

China relationship — pro-Beijing commentary and CCP ties

Mandarin-fluent former diplomat with decades-long relationships across the Chinese Communist Party leadership. Authored multiple books and papers on China-US relations from the Asia Society perch, consistently advocating for a more accommodating Western posture toward Beijing. Critics, including current and former ASIO officials, have questioned the appropriateness of his deep CCP contacts given his ongoing role representing Australia in Washington. His 2022 book 'The Avoidable War' was widely reviewed as sympathetic to Beijing's strategic position.

Connection: Kevin Rudd & Gavin Jennings — Who really holds the power in Dan’s inner circle - Herald Sun

News article documenting connection between Kevin Rudd and Gavin Jennings.

Rudd resigns as Australia’s ambassador to the US - The Nightly

Rudd resigns as Australia’s ambassador to the US    The Nightly

Forced out as US Ambassador after Trump public rebuke (Jan 2026)

On 13 January 2026, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced that Kevin Rudd would end his term as Australian Ambassador to the United States at the end of March 2026 — approximately a year earlier than planned. The early exit followed sustained public tensions with US President Donald Trump, including Trump's October 2025 declaration that he "didn't like" Rudd and "probably never will" over Rudd's prior criticisms. Rudd had described Trump as "the most destructive president in history" and "a traitor to the West" in blog posts and social media posts between 2016 and 2023 — posts that were quietly scrubbed from Rudd's personal website after Trump's 2024 election victory. Rudd returns to the Asia Society in a newly created role. The episode raises serious questions about the judgement of appointing a partisan figure with an extensive anti-Trump public record to the most sensitive diplomatic post at a politically sensitive moment — and about what diplomatic access and goodwill was lost during Rudd's tenure.

Sky News Australia. . Former foreign minister Alexander Downer shares his views on Kevin Rudd's early resignation as Australian Ambassador to the US. - facebook.com

Sky News Australia. . Former foreign minister Alexander Downer shares his views on Kevin Rudd's early resignation as Australian Ambassador to the US.    facebook.com [Tue, 13 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMT] Kevin Rudd announces resignation as Australia's ambassador to the United States - SBS Australia Kevin Rudd announces resignation as Australia's ambassador to the United States    SBS Australia

Kevin Rudd to resign a year early as Australian ambassador to the US - Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Kevin Rudd to resign a year early as Australian ambassador to the US    Australian Broadcasting Corporation [Mon, 12 Jan 2026 08:00:00 GMT] Kevin Rudd will step down as ambassador to the US a year early - The Guardian Kevin Rudd will step down as ambassador to the US a year early    The Guardian

Murdoch Royal Commission petition — 2020

In October 2020, Rudd launched a petition calling for a Royal Commission into Murdoch media ownership in Australia. The petition attracted over 500,000 signatures and was debated in Parliament. Critics noted Rudd's long-running personal feud with News Corp and questioned whether the initiative was politically motivated. Malcolm Turnbull (former Liberal PM) backed the call, also citing personal grievances. No Royal Commission eventuated.

Asia Society Policy Institute — 8 years in NYC (2015-2023)

Served as inaugural President of the Asia Society Policy Institute based in New York City from 2015 to March 2023. During this period, Rudd was deeply embedded in the New York diplomatic, philanthropic, and think-tank ecosystem. The Asia Society receives funding from a range of donors including Chinese state-affiliated entities, US tech companies, and philanthropic foundations. His compensation from the role has not been publicly disclosed. New York City was also, during this same period, the operational base of Jeffrey Epstein's social network — a coincidence of geography that has drawn scrutiny from independent journalists, though no documented direct link has been published as of 2026.

Knifing of Gillard and internal ALP warfare (2010-2013)

After being deposed by Gillard in June 2010, Rudd waged a sustained internal destabilisation campaign against her leadership from 2010 to 2013, including an unsuccessful leadership challenge in February 2012 and a successful return to the prime ministership in June 2013. His destabilisation activities are widely credited with contributing to Labor's 2013 election loss. Multiple Labor colleagues have described the period as 'corrosive' and 'destructive'.

Controversy (from Wikipedia)

Kevin Michael Rudd (born 21 September 1957) is an Australian diplomat and former politician who served as the 26th prime minister of Australia from 2007 to 2010 and in 2013. He held office as the Leader of the Labor Party from 2006 to 2010, with a brief return to the leadership in 2013. From 2023 to 2026, Rudd was the Ambassador of Australia to the United States. Born in Nambour, Queensland, Rudd graduated from the Australian National University with honours in Chinese studies, and is fluent in Mandarin. Before politics, he worked as a diplomat and public servant for the Queensland state government of Wayne Goss. Rudd was elected to the Australian House of Representatives at the 1998 federal election for the Queensland division of Griffith. He was promoted to the shadow cabinet in 2001 as Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs. He assumed leadership of the Labor Party in December 2006 by defeating Kim Beazley in a leadership spill, becoming leader of the opposition. Rudd led Labor to a landslide victory at the 2007 election; his government's earliest acts included ratifying the Kyoto Protocol on climate change and delivering the first national apology to Australia's Indigenous peoples for the Stolen Generations. His government responded to the 2008 financial crisis, implementing economic stimulus packages that resulted in Australia becoming one of the only developed countries to avoid the Great Recession. Rudd's government also oversaw the establishment of the National Broadband