Washington: From Kevin Rudd’s point of view, he will exit the Australian embassy with the country’s main policy priorities – AUKUS, critical minerals, and a functioning relationship with the Trump administration – politically bedded down.

President Donald Trump affirmed his commitment to AUKUS in October, declaring it was “full steam ahead”, while signing the rare earths framework and effusively praising Albanese and Australia as a trusted friend.

Kevin Rudd leaves the White House after a meeting in October.Credit: AAP

And that was just in the past year. Pre-Trump, Rudd helped convince the Biden administration to free Julian Assange, and effectively whipped the US Congress into passing enabling legislation for AUKUS.

It has been a phenomenal amount of work to get to this point. Even Rudd’s detractors will tell you the former prime minister has brought his famed capacity for hard work to bear in Washington, tirelessly working Capitol Hill and ingratiating himself with key people close to Trump, despite some early hurdles.

Rudd is departing early to take the top job with the Asia Society – a role he previously held, although now with some expanded functions. It’s a good position – based in New York, where Rudd and his wife Therese Rein own property, with capacity to keep a foot in Washington and work from Australia several months a year.

The vacancy........

© The Sydney Morning Herald