Nat Barr asks the brutal question on many minds about the future of Kevin Rudd after Trump threatened to increase tariffs on Australia
Sunrise host Nat Barr has questioned whether it's time for Australia's ambassador to US Kevin Rudd to move on following US President Donald Trump 's threat to raise tariffs.
After Trump announced he will increase the tariff on steel imported into the United States from 25 per cent to 50 per cent, Ms Barr asked on Monday whether Rudd is effective in his role.
'Should we axe Kevin Rudd from the US and move him on and would we get further with Trump?' Ms Barr asked Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek and former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce.
The Sunrise guests clashed on the effectiveness of the ambassador and former Prime Minister.
Plibersek said Rudd has been 'extraordinarily active' as ambassador and has 'excellent' relationships with both Republicans and Democrats.
'You know that he's hardworking. He's got enormous capacity. He's an excellent ambassador, and at the end of the day, Australia chooses our ambassadors,' Plibersek said.
'We don't allow other countries to choose our ambassadors for us.'
'But they choose whether they want to talk to them or not and that's the problem,' Joyce hit back.
'I'm not saying he's a bad ambassador, but he's not suited for the United States …,' Joyce said.
'The prime minister should be adroit enough to say 'Kevin you're off to London ' and someone else is off to the United States.'
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