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Australian ambassador to the US Kevin Rudd has insisted he and his fellow diplomats in Washington will have strong relations with the incoming Trump administration after a top adviser to the president-elect suggested Rudd’s days in the US capital were numbered.

In his first detailed public comments since the US election, Rudd told a conference in Sydney that Trump’s election was an important moment for the world and Australia.

Speaking at a forum organised by the University of Sydney’s United States Studies Centre, Rudd had this to say:

“The bottom line is: we’re ready.

The team here at the embassy and the government of Australia are ready to work closely with the new Trump administration to continue to realise the benefits of what is a very strong economic and security partnership.”

Rudd said that the US-Australia relationship had “gone from strength to strength, militarily, strategically, economically, technologically and in terms of the physicality of our trade”, ties he said that were vital to Australia’s economic success.

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After Trump’s election victory, Rudd scrubbed critical comments about Trump from his online record, including posts in which he excoriated him as “the most destructive president in history” and a “traitor to the West”.

Senior Trump adviser Dan Scavino subsequently posted an image on X showing sand trickling through an hourglass in response to a post by Rudd, an apparent message that he would not remain long as ambassador.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has insisted Rudd will remain Australia’s top diplomat. He has been backed by predecessors Joe Hockey, Arthur Sinodinos and Dennis Richardson, as well as former prime ministers Scott Morrison and Tony Abbott.