He is the current champion of anti-Trump supporters and American liberals, but Alexander Downer’s elevation to international hero may prove more than amusing for many Australians.

A former foreign affairs minister in the conservative Howard government, Downer, known privately for his sense of humour, became best known for agreeing to pose for a photo wearing a pair of fishnet stockings and high heels for a charity promotion in 1996.

The photo was never forgotten and continued to follow him for the rest of his political career, including the 11 years he spent as Australia’s longest-serving foreign affairs minister, and his appointment as Australia’s man in Britain, four decades after his father, Sir Alexander Downer, filled the same role.

David Mack (@davidmackau) America, please enjoy this very real, old photo of Alexander Downer, the Aussie diplomat that Papadopoulos spilled the beans to on Russia https://t.co/V1a2FyMaLd pic.twitter.com/pw3J2y1RGx

A staunch supporter of the Iraq war, Downer pushed for Australia’s involvement, delivering a speech to parliament in February 2003 that called for Australia to act.

“I cannot in conscience ignore the record of Saddam Hussein, [a] ruthless tyrant who tries still – in the face of concerted international pressure – to retain and develop the most evil of weapons,” he said. “As the foreign minister of our great country, I will not be remembered for turning my back on such evil and allowing the spectre of Saddam to haunt future generations.”

Three years later, Downer was forced to give evidence at an inquiry investigating who knew what about AWB’s involvement in the Iraq “oil for food” scandal. He denied any knowledge of AWB’s activities.

Downer remains the shortest-serving Liberal leader in the party’s history, holding the leadership for less than a year between May 1994 and January 1995, after a series of gaffes torpedoed his chances to become prime minister.

The most serious of which came when he joked that the Liberals’ new domestic violence policy should be called “the things that batter”, a poorly chosen riff on the party’s then slogan, “the things that matter”.

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But, as a diplomat, first as the special adviser to the UN secretary general on Cyprus, a post he held from when he left Australian politics in 2008 until 2014 when he was appointed as the high commissioner to the UK, Downer has been seen as an asset.

His tenure at Australia House expires in March, when George Brandis, the former Australian attorney general, will take up residence.

But Downer’s boozy night out at the Kensington Wine Rooms with one of Donald Trump’s campaign advisers has ensured his place in one of the most intriguing chapters of US political history.

Downer and George Papadopoulos walked into a bar and the resulting political gossip reportedly helped spark a FBI inquiry, which continues to shadow the president of the United States more than a year into his administration.

But while Americans critical of the Trump presidency turn to social media to shower praise on Downer for his apparent role in passing on the information that helped convince the FBI to launch an investigation, Australians are relishing the chance to spread the fishnet photo to a new nation.