‘Fake media’: PM brushes off latest Trump gibe at Rudd
Anthony Albanese is ignoring the single, persistent disruption to his successful meeting with Donald Trump as he prepares for further talks with global leaders.
The prime minister is flying to Malaysia to join leaders at two key summits, marking the start of a week-long trip focusing on security, trade and stability in the region.
He will come face to face with US President Donald Trump a week after their meeting, an interaction that was generally cordial but made headlines around the world.
“I don’t like you and I probably never will,” Mr. Trump told the Australian ambassador, Kevin Rudd, at the White House last Monday when asked about old social media posts.
Mr Rudd called Mr Trump a “hillbilly idiot” and “the most destructive president in history” in since-deleted posts before the former prime minister took up the ambassadorial post.
The sleuth was laughed at in the room, and Mr Rudd reportedly apologized to Mr Trump.
But Mr Trump issued a new warning and refocused on the issue before leaving for Malaysia on Sunday, telling an Australian reporter that he had never forgotten who had badmouthed him.
“You know, I don’t forget when they say bad things about me,” Mr. Trump said.
Mr Albanese ignored questions about Mr Trump’s remarks, suggesting the media was using the incident to distract from “financial matters”.
“Before I went to the United States, there was a lot of what some might call fake media about what was important and what wasn’t,” Mr. Albanese said on Sunday’s Today Show.
“Kevin Rudd is doing a great job as Ambassador. Last week’s delivery reinforces that.”
Asked whether it was time to replace Mr Rudd, the prime minister replied bluntly: “No.”
Mr Albanese will sit down with some of his counterparts at the ASEAN and APEC summits to be held in South Korea and Malaysia respectively in the coming days.
He said Australia’s focus at the meetings would be on increasing trade and investment options in the Asia-Pacific.
“One in four jobs in Australia rely on trade and we will focus on continuing to develop our core economic and trade relationships during ASEAN and APEC,” Mr Albanese said.
“Australia is working with regional leaders through ASEAN, the East Asia Summit and APEC to support economic growth, security and stability in the region.”
Mr. Trump plans to sign a trade deal with Malaysia’s prime minister, preside over a peace agreement between Cambodia and Thailand and sit down with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.
He will also travel to Tokyo to meet with Japan’s newly elected Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
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