Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has named Greg Moriarty, the secretary of the Department of Defence, as Australia’s next ambassador to the United States. The move follows Kevin Rudd's decision to leave the post a year early, with his departure expected in March. Albanese said the U.S. government was informed of the selection and is satisfied with the appointment.
Australia Taps Defence Chief Greg Moriarty As U.S. Ambassador After Kevin Rudd's Early Exit
FILE PHOTO: Ambassador of Australia to the U.S. Kevin Rudd attends the 54th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 17, 2024. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/File Photo
SYDNEY, Jan 25 (Reuters) — Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Sunday announced that Greg Moriarty, the secretary of the Department of Defence, will be Australia’s next ambassador to the United States, succeeding Kevin Rudd.
Albanese praised Moriarty’s public service record on Australian Broadcasting Corporation television, calling him "an outstanding Australian public servant," and said the U.S. government had been informed and was satisfied with the choice.
Rudd, a former prime minister who openly criticised U.S. President Donald Trump before his diplomatic posting, indicated earlier this month that he would end his role in March — a year earlier than originally planned.
In October, President Trump publicly rebuked Rudd at a White House event, saying:
"I don't like you either, and I probably never will."
Moriarty currently serves as secretary of the Department of Defence and is expected to assume ambassadorial responsibilities following Rudd's departure in March. The appointment places a senior national-security-focused career public servant in the Washington post at a time of close Australia–U.S. cooperation.
(Reporting by Sam McKeith in Sydney; Editing by Thomas Derpinghaus)
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