Donald Trump’s extraordinary return to the White House could be followed by an even more unlikely political return: that of Scott Morrison.
In January, Morrison resigned from politics and announced that he would move to Washington to work at the political advisory group American Global Strategies (AGS), of which he is vice-chairman.
AGS was co-founded and chaired by Robert O’Brien, who was national security advisor to then-President Trump from 2019 to 2021.
This connection will become significant when Trump is sworn in as president in January and the Albanian government seeks to leverage whatever leverage it can with the new leader, including Morrison’s relationships.
These alliances are vital, given that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was recorded saying that Trump “scares the hell out of me” while he was shadow transport and infrastructure minister in 2017.
Australia’s ambassador to the United States, Kevin Rudd, has reportedly been encouraging Morrison to join a diplomatic charm offensive to woo the new Trump administration.
The works have been underway for some time. In October, former Prime Minister Morrison met former and now future President Trump in New York and a day later, Rudd launched Morrison’s book Plans For Your Good at the Australian embassy in Washington.
Many of Trump’s former colleagues, including former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his close adviser Kellyanne Conway, attended the book launch.
Donald Trump’s extraordinary comeback to win the US presidential election could be about to be mirrored by an even more unlikely political comeback: that of Scott Morrison. they are in the photo
Morrison congratulated Trump on his election victory in a post for X (pictured)
Vice President Mike Pence was also present, but will not be of much use to Australia since he fell out with Trump for rejecting instructions to block Joe Biden as incoming president in January 2021.
“The book launch was a very public demonstration by Rudd that he and Morrison have put aside their differences and that the two can work together in Australia’s interests,” a member of the Australian government told the newspaper. saturday newspaper.
Rudd’s immediate future will be less certain after Trump is sworn in as the 47th president of the United States on January 20.
Trump has previously suggested that Rudd may not be able to maintain his ambassadorial role when questioned by right-wing British politician Nigel Farage on GB News.
‘Things have changed in Australia. We have a Labor government. I think the previous ambassador, Joe Hockey, was a good friend of his. Now they have appointed Kevin Rudd,” said Mr Farage.
‘He has said the most horrible things; You were a destructive president, a traitor to the West, and now you are Australia’s ambassador to Washington.
Trump snapped: “I don’t know, it won’t be there for long if that’s the case.”
‘I don’t know much about him. I heard it was a bit unpleasant. I’ve heard it’s not the brightest bulb. If he is hostile, he won’t be there for long.
Anthony Albanese (right) was recorded saying Trump “scares the shit out of me” while he was shadow transport and infrastructure minister in 2017.
Jenny and Scott Morrison are pictured with Donald and Melania Trump in September 2019.
Morrison is on much better terms with the incoming US president and said on Wednesday that his victory would lead to a “rejuvenation of the US economy” and that Trump had had a “stellar” performance on the campaign trail.
“The United States is an entrepreneurial animal… and I think we will see great confidence in that economy,” he said.
Morrison’s tenure as prime minister coincided with Trump’s first presidency from 2018 to 2021, and on one occasion Trump even lavished praise on Morrison, describing him as a “titanium man.”
Before becoming prime minister, Anthony Albanese criticized Morrison for being too close to Trump.
“Scott Morrison went too far, partly because of his affinity for Donald Trump, partly because of the political constituency they share,” Albanese said in early 2021.
“There is no doubt that Mr Morrison put this affinity and his political interests first when he did indeed take to a campaign stage with Donald Trump in Ohio (during the 2020 US presidential election campaign).”
For his part, Morrison has had nothing but praise for Rudd’s role as ambassador to the United States.
One way or another, Albanese and his Labor government will be hoping that Morrison can help heal his fractured relationship with Trump.