An ominous message from a key Trump adviser has raised more questions about whether Australia’s ambassador to the US, Kevin Rudd, can remain in his role.

Dan Scavino Jr, a senior adviser and former deputy chief of staff to US president-elect Donald Trump, left a GIF showing a draining hourglass on Rudd’s congratulatory post to Trump on X late on Tuesday.

Rudd has been a fierce critic of Trump, labelling him the most destructive president in US history and accusing him of abusing Christianity for political gain.

He has also been scrubbing his timeline of criticism following the Republican’s re-election.

In March, Brexit campaigner-turned-MP Nigel Farage raised Rudd’s criticism of Trump in an interview for GB News at the behest of Sky News Australia.

“I don’t know much about him. I heard he was a little bit nasty,” said Trump, then merely the Republican candidate for the presidency.

“I hear he’s not the brightest bulb, but I don’t know much about him. But if he’s at all hostile, he will not be there long.”

Unlikely allies

Despite Scavino’s ominous message, Rudd has found support from an unlikely source: Former political rival Tony Abbott.

Abbott, who defeated Rudd at the 2013 election, said the US ambassador has “said some injudicious things about the incoming president, but a lot of people have”.

“I would be surprised if there is any pressure from the Americans to change our ambassador. I have no reason to think that Kevin is not doing a good job at present,” he said on his Australia’s Future with Tony Abbott podcast.

“He will do whatever he humanly can to win over senior people in the incoming administration and he’s already done everything he humanly can to row back his previous ill-advised remarks about the incoming president.”

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton also praised Rudd’s “work ethic”, but raised former ambassador (and former federal treasurer) Joe Hockey as a potential replacement if the Coalition wins the next election.

“[Rudd has] been a very effective contributor to public debate, particularly as a former prime minister is well respected,” Dutton said.

“I hope that he’s able to form a relationship with the new administration, as he’s done with the current one.”

Rudd’s future

Ahead of the US election, Rudd said he and Australia would “work positively and constructively with whichever party is elected in November” and called for “chill” when people raised his past criticism.

In his statement that sparked Scavino’s GIF, Rudd said Australia and America were long-standing friends, partners and allies.

“Our nations and peoples are bound by a history of shared values, shared sacrifice and shared opportunity,” he said.

“These deep bonds of true and enduring friendship between us will also shape our common future.”

Trump’s fans were quick to jump on Rudd’s previous criticism and call for him to resign.

Other foreign dignitaries are also being confronted with past comments about the incoming president: British foreign secretary David Lammy has previously called him “deluded, dishonest, xenophobic, narcissistic” and a “neo-Nazi-sympathising sociopath”.

Despite this, Lammy said Trump did not “even vaguely” bring up the criticism when the pair met in September.