The comment that proves Kevin Rudd never saw Donald Trump’s comeback coming – as new video emerges of Australia’s ambassador to Washington mocking US president’s intelligence

Kevin Rudd dismissed Donald Trump’s first presidency as a period of “episodic madness” and asked a crowd in disbelief “how did that happen?” in newly unearthed video, filmed less than a year before he took up his post as Australia’s man in Washington.

The former prime minister turned Australian ambassador to the US has in the past labeled the president-elect a “village idiot”, a “traitor to the West” and “the most destructive president in history”.

But a newly discovered lecture, recorded in June 2022 for the Asia Society, where he was president, has now exposed how Mr Rudd never thought Trump would ever return to power – and how he dismissed his presidency as a period of ‘madness’. .

“Never take a step back when you say we are allies of the United States,” he told the stunned crowd in Switzerland.

‘For all the American predisposition to episodic madness… Look at Trump: How did that happen? That was a walk on the wild side for all of us.”

Less than nine months later, Mr Rudd was controversially appointed Australia’s ambassador to the US by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

Mr Rudd now faces the seemingly uphill task of trying to curry favor and influence with a new Trump administration that is actively hostile to him over his past comments.

It comes after Daily Mail Australia revealed on Tuesday that one of Trump’s top campaign advisers, Dan Scavino Jr. gave an indication that Mr Rudd would not last long under the new government.

A newly surfaced lecture recorded in June 2022 for the Asia Society, where he was president, has now exposed how Mr Rudd never thought Donald Trump would ever return to power.

Trump has previously expressed his disapproval of Kevin Rudd, calling him ‘nasty’ and claiming he ‘won’t be around much longer’

While sharing Mr Rudd’s congratulatory message to the new president-elect on an hourglass GIF to his two million followers, indicating his days were numbered.

Although the American president ultimately has no power over the representatives that various countries appoint as ambassadors, they should be able to work with the new administration to advance their country’s interests.

Daily Mail Australia has since unearthed even more mocking comments about Trump that will surely come back to haunt him.

In another Asia Society lecture recorded in 2018, the former Prime Minister discussed the rising tensions between the US and China under their respective leaders Xi Jingping and Trump.

“Then enter Donald Trump. As we know, Donald is not a… leading intellectual force,” Mr Rudd said to loud laughter from the audience.

There are increasing voices calling on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to fire Rudd and appoint someone else who can build a better relationship with Trump’s new government.

One political insider even said they believed Rudd could pull it off with the help of Scott Morrison, as his former fellow Prime Minister has maintained good relations with Trump.

“It will be difficult for Rudd – he has worked hard over the last 18 months, with the help of Morrison, to ingratiate himself more closely with Republicans,” the insider told Daily Mail Australia.

“So people in the party respect him, but Trump is Trump.

“I think most on Capitol Hill yesterday would have said, ‘He’s going to be fine’ (Rudd). But that hourglass tweet changes things a bit.”

Donald Trump (pictured with his wife Melania and son Barron during a victory speech during his election) was previously branded a ‘village idiot’ and a ‘traitor to the West’ by former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd

Mr Trump has also previously expressed his disapproval of Mr Rudd, calling him “nasty”.

‘I don’t know much about him. I heard he was a bit mean,” Trump told GB News earlier this year.

“I hear he’s not the brightest light bulb, but I don’t know much about him. If he’s at all hostile, he won’t stay there long.’

Several posts on Rudd’s official X account criticizing Trump were deleted last week after it became clear he would win a second term as president.

In a particularly brutal post from 2020, Mr Rudd described Trump as “the most destructive president in history”.

‘He is dragging America and democracy through the mud. He thrives on stoking division, not healing it. He abuses Christianity, the Church and the Bible to justify violence,” Rudd wrote.

Daily Mail Australia approached the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for comment.