Kevin Rudd was subject to two rounds of humiliation by Donald Trump at a crucial meeting, but the awkward exchange was just the US president creating "good TV", according to an outspoken senior Liberal.

After months of criticism for failing to land a meeting with Trump, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's first face-to-face at the White House this week was hailed a success after the signing of a landmark $8.5 billion deal.

The visit went without a hitch until one reporter asked Trump whether Rudd's disparaging past comments about him had at all contributed to why it took nine months into his second term as president to finally meet with Albanese. 

That set off Trump, who said he would never like Rudd.

According to Liberal frontbencher-turned-backbencher Andrew Hastie, the exchang

See Full Page