Foreign Minister Penny Wong has been mercilessly mocked for getting close to senior figures in President Donald Trump’s new White House team.
The veteran Labor senator, a member of the party’s left faction, was in Washington DC as a representative of the Australian government at Trump’s inauguration in the Capitol Rotunda.
It was a major blow given Senator Wong was the first Australian Foreign Minister to be invited to a presidential inauguration and leaders of economic powers such as France and Germany did not get an invitation.
He told ABC it was an “honor and a privilege” to be there, adding in X that the initiation “reflects the strong alliance between our nations.”
“The United States is Australia’s closest ally,” he wrote in X.
“I look forward to working together with the new Administration to fulfill our shared interests.”
But Senator Wong’s attendance was criticized by opposition leader Peter Dutton, who questioned her suitability as Australia’s representative to the United States.
“She’s right up there as the best friend Donald Trump has ever had.” I mean, is that believable? Dutton said at a Liberal Party rally on Tuesday.
The veteran Labor senator, who is a member of the party’s left faction, was in Washington DC as a representative of the Australian government at Trump’s inauguration in the Capitol Rotunda (pictured: Foreign Minister Penny Wong, shaking hands with Marco Rubio, the new US secretary of state)

But Senator Wong’s attendance was criticized by Opposition Leader Peter Dutton (pictured) who questioned her suitability as Australia’s representative to the United States.
‘Have I missed something or was Penny Wong always a strong opponent and hater of Donald Trump, and now she’s somehow a big supporter of the Trump administration?
“It is a government of incompetence and fraud.”
However, Labor supporters have praised the high level of access it has achieved in the president’s early days.
Ms. Wong was photographed pressing meat with Marco Rubio, who was confirmed as President Trump’s Secretary of State on Monday.
Daily Mail Australia has approached Senator Wong’s office for comment.
The Foreign Secretary joined Australia’s controversial ambassador to the United States, Kevin Rudd, to meet the new president’s national security adviser, Mike Waltz.
“It’s high-level access on the first day of a new administration,” said ABC Global Affairs Editor John Lyons.
“This flies in the face of those who said Australia and Rudd would be excluded.”

In addition to meeting Rubio, Senator Wong also met other ‘Quad’ leaders: Indian Foreign Minister Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Japanese Foreign Minister Iwaya Takeshi (pictured).
Sky News presenter Rita Panahi claimed she saw “leftist fools Kevin Rudd and Penny Wong trying to get close to Vivek Ramaswamy at the Starlight Ball”, the official inaugural ball after Trump was sworn in.
Ramaswamy was lined up to co-lead President Trump’s “Department of Government Efficiency” with Elon Musk, but dropped out.
It has been reported that Ramaswamy intends to run for governor of Ohio.
Disability advocate and Advocacy for Inclusion head of policy Craig Wallace criticized Senator Wong’s progress in the new administration.
“I don’t know about you, but there’s something especially small and egregious about the way Anthony Albanese and Penny Wong are trying so hard to grovel and bow the knee to Trump while all this is going on: Labor has lost its moral compass.” wrote in X.
In addition to meeting Mr. Rubio, Senator Wong also met other ‘Quad’ leaders, India’s Foreign Minister Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. and the Japanese Foreign Minister, Iwaya Takeshi.