Defence department boss Greg Moriarty will be the next Australian ambassador to the US, replacing outgoing ambassador Kevin Rudd.

Mr Moriarty has served as the Defence secretary for nearly a decade, and was previously chief of staff to then-prime minister Malcolm Turnbull.

The secretary has also held senior roles in counter terrorism and has served as the ambassador to Indonesia and Iran.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced his recommendation of Mr Moriarty while speaking on ABC Insiders.

“I know Mr Moriarty very well, and I have been impressed by the dignified way in which he handles himself,” Mr Albanese said.

Mr Moriarty is the first non-political appointee to be named for the ambassadorship since Dennis Richardson ended his tenure in 2010.

Since then, it has been held by former Labor leader Kim Beazley, former Liberal treasurer Joe Hockey, former Liberal minister Arthur Sinodinos and former Labor prime minister Kevin Rudd.

The prime minister said the Trump administration had been consulted on the appointment, as was the usual process.

Mr Moriarty will begin the ambassadorship as US tensions with its western allies mount over President Donald Trump’s demands for Greenland to be handed to the US and his administration’s ongoing tariff campaign.

Mr Trump has also upset US allies who fought alongside the nation in Afghanistan for most of this century after he downplayed this involvement, saying NATO-allied troops “stayed a little off the frontlines”.

The president walked back those remarks after UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer demanded an apology, calling British troops “great and very brave”.

Mr Albanese said Mr Trump’s remarks were “not acceptable”.

“I note that President Trump has made a new statement overnight as well in which he’s acknowledged the contribution,” he said.

“Those 47 Australian families [of soldiers who died fighting in Afghanistan] will be hurting by these comments, they deserve our absolute respect, admiration.

“The bravery that was shown by 40,000 Australians served in Afghanistan, they were certainly on the frontlines.”

Mr Albanese also confirmed that Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney would visit Australia in March.

The prime minister said he agreed with incendiary remarks made by Mr Carney at the recent World Economic Forum at Davos that middle powers like Australia and Canada must act together “because if we’re not at the table, we’re on the menu”.

Mr Rudd’s ambassadorship ends on March 31.

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