Australia’s US ambassador to step down early

Former prime minister Kevin Rudd will step down early as Australia’s ambassador to the US at the end of March, a year earlier than expected.

In October, the Albanese government shrugged off negative comments from US President Donald Trump about the ambassador and opposition calls for him to be sacked.

Trump told Rudd that he would never like him during a White House meeting with Anthony Albanese, but the prime minister treated the exchange as a joke and Australia’s US ambassador later privately apologised to Trump for his past criticisms.

more to come…