Kevin Rudd has been openly critical of Donald Trump over several years, using unusually strong language for a former prime minister and later ambassador. Most notably, he has described Trump as “the most destructive president in history” and a “traitor to the West,” among other harsh characterisations.

Key things Rudd said about Trump

  • As head of a US-based think tank before becoming ambassador, Rudd called Trump “the most destructive president in history.”
  • He also labelled Trump a “traitor to the West” who was dragging “America and democracy through the mud.”
  • In separate commentary, he reportedly referred to Trump as a “village idiot,” language that later resurfaced while he was serving as Australia’s ambassador to the US.

Later deletion and walk-back

  • After Trump won a second term in November 2024, Rudd quietly deleted a series of old social media posts containing these criticisms, with his office saying he did so to avoid them being misconstrued as his official stance as ambassador or as the Australian government’s position.
  • Rudd’s past remarks became a diplomatic headache once Trump returned to the White House, prompting questions in Australia about whether Rudd could effectively manage the relationship.

Trump’s response to Rudd’s remarks

  • Trump has hit back personally, describing Rudd as “a little bit nasty” and “not the brightest bulb” when asked about the old comments in a TV interview.
  • In an October White House meeting with Australian leaders, Trump reportedly told Rudd directly, “I don’t like you and I probably never will,” although he was also reported to have said “all is forgiven” after Rudd apologised.

Recent developments and “latest news”

  • The controversy over those past quotes contributed to political debate in Australia about whether Rudd should remain ambassador under Trump’s renewed presidency.
  • In January 2026, Rudd announced he would step down early as Australia’s ambassador to the US; coverage of his resignation repeatedly highlighted his history of calling Trump “the most destructive president in history” and a “traitor to the West.”

TL;DR: When people ask “what did Kevin Rudd say about Donald Trump?”, they’re usually referring to his earlier comments branding Trump “the most destructive president in history” and a “traitor to the West,” plus reports that he called him a “village idiot” – remarks that later forced him to delete posts, apologise, and ultimately became part of the story of his strained relationship with Trump as Australia’s ambassador.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.