Last week, France banned the US Ambassador Charles Kushner from accessing ministers after he failed to show up to a meeting to explain the US State Department’s public response to the killing of a far-right activist, which the French objected to. It was another example of a shift where America is testing norms and conventions, rather than setting them.
Amid tariffs, threats to take over Greenland, withdrawal from global treaties and the abduction or killing of heads of state, the French fracas might seem of little consequence. Yet the erosion in relationships and smaller acts of disregard are not to be dismissed. An increasingly transactional form of diplomacy, focused on rewarding loyalty and winning deals, has marked the “America first” style and illustrates the declining influence of allies.
How US ambassadors are chosen and where they are sent tells a story. Kushner is one of many prominent supporters the Trump administration has appointed to prestigious overseas postings. The trend is not unique to Trump: former presidents, including Joe Biden, have similarly rewarded prominent donors and backers at the expense of career professionals. However, politicising such postings undermines and disrespects the deeper value and utility of diplomacy.
Ambassadors, and diplomats, are not just mouthpieces or figureheads. They embody vital diplomatic norms and expectations. How they show up – and where – matters. When diplomacy is treated as a perk, rather than an expert craft or art form, it undermines the real power of presence, respect, and dialogue in how influence is gained and interests realised.
For all the stereotypes about signing deals and attending fancy cocktail parties that might appeal to political appointees, the true value of diplomacy is far less showy. Influence is not earned through status or notoriety, but by gaining an in-depth understanding of their host country – interpreting local events and in turn cultivating trusted relationships so they can relay news with insight, tact and candour.
Trust and credibility are hard to earn yet easily squandered.
Foreign governments have little need for another country’s political rockstars, as France demonstrated with its swift actions to remove access to America’s ambassador. Instead trust and credibility grow through showing up, even for the more mundane duties of the role.
However, the failure to appoint any ambassador can be equally detrimental. The American Foreign Service Association reported in January that around 52% of ambassadorial posts remain unfilled. Australia, a critical partner to America in AUKUS, is one of them.
Even with a talented embassy team, the lack of a figurehead undermines the convention of reciprocity and risks sending a signal that the partnership is less important than it should be – or simply taken for granted. It reinforces an image of America as inconsistent and unreliable, exacerbated by recent actions towards Denmark and Greenland.
Australia is not immune from similar critiques. As the Lowy Institute’s Global Diplomacy Index revealed in 2024, Australia’s diplomatic footprint is far smaller than its economic weight would suggest – second to last among G20 countries. It is underrepresented and punching well below its weight at a time when it needs to step up and fill the gaps left by unreliable partners.
International challenges – including climate change, non-proliferation, terrorism and technological developments – require long-term solutions rooted in constructive relationships, built through time, energy, and presence. This is especially important in the Indo-Pacific neighbourhood, including towards Pacific Island nations, where sustained investment of effort signals a country’s respect, esteem and desire for cooperation.
At a time of growing uncertainty and insecurity, real opportunities exist to expand Australia’s reach beyond its neighbourhood in subtle but meaningful ways – including in Europe. Respecting the fundamentals of diplomacy and strengthening these foundations is vital. It will be critical to help get ahead of future challenges and cultivate global resilience in ways that can reinforce long-standing international order and norms.
Trust and credibility are hard to earn yet easily squandered. America may realise too late the diplomatic power of showing up and taking its allies seriously. Australia should not replicate the same mistakes.
