![[UPDATED] Trump names Nick Adams as next US ambassador to Malaysia](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.nst.com.my%2Fimages%2Farticles%2Fnick_adams_-FB_1752192684.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
[UPDATED] Trump names Nick Adams as next US ambassador to Malaysia
In a post on Truth Social, Trump described Adams as a remarkable patriot and a successful entrepreneur, praising his dedication to what he termed "the Virtues of American Greatness."
"I am pleased to announce that Nick Adams will be nominated as the next United States Ambassador to Malaysia.
"Nick is a bestselling author, speaker, and commentator. He graduated from the University of Sydney and has since made it his life's mission to extol the Virtues of American Greatness. Congratulations, Nick!" Trump said.
Adams, an Australian-born conservative figure, has been an outspoken supporter of Trump and is known for his pro-American advocacy, including several books and media appearances promoting right-wing values.
In response to the announcement, Adams expressed his gratitude on the social media platform X.
"Mr President, thank you for the honour of a lifetime. In your America, all dreams come true. It will be my honour to represent the United States of America in Malaysia.
"To the esteemed members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, I look forward to a confirmation process that is at the heart of the Constitution that has given me the freedom to pursue the American Dream," he said.
Adams' nomination is expected to proceed through the Senate confirmation process before the appointment can be formalised.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
27 minutes ago
- The Sun
Brazil opts for local relief over retaliation for US tariffs
BRASILIA: Brazil's government has set aside for now plans for direct retaliation against steep U.S. tariffs taking effect this week, focusing instead on a relief package for industries hit hardest by the levies, sources familiar with the strategy said. Wide-ranging exemptions granted in U.S. President Donald Trump's executive order last week spared some of the most vulnerable sectors of Latin America's largest economy, to the relief of many investors and business leaders. That has left Brasilia cautious about responding to Trump with reciprocal tariffs or other retaliation that could escalate tensions, said government officials, who requested anonymity to discuss confidential deliberations. Talks with Washington are likely to be slow and complex, said one of the sources, so Brazil's government is prioritizing immediate relief for exporters, such as through public credit lines and other support for export finance. Another official said the government is studying potential responses to the tariffs that would affect U.S. companies, but sees them as a last resort if negotiations fail. Those potential countermeasures, now under review, could include suspension of royalty payments for pharmaceutical patents and media copyrights, two sources said. The government had also signaled last year that it was preparing a new tax that could affect big U.S. tech companies, but shelved the plan this year to avoid antagonizing Trump ahead of his April tariff announcement. At the time, Brazil was saddled with a 10% tariff, among the lowest in the world, which many credited to a longstanding U.S. trade surplus with Brazil. Trump then tied a steeper 50% tariff in July to what he called a political 'witch hunt' against former President Jair Bolsonaro, a right-wing ally on trial for an alleged coup plot to overturn his 2022 election loss. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva initially said he would respond under the country's Economic Reciprocity Law, passed by Congress to provide legal grounds for countermeasures against trade sanctions, fueling speculation about retaliation. Talk of reciprocal action has since faded, even as Lula criticizes Trump's rationale for the tariff hike, defending the independence of Brazil's judiciary and insisting any negotiations should remain strictly focused on trade. U.S. tariff exemptions granted last week for Brazil's aviation, energy and mining industries were taken in Brasilia as evidence that patient diplomacy and lobbying by affected U.S. companies seeking relief was the best way to get results in Washington. Brazil also said it plans to file a formal complaint at the World Trade Organization over the tariffs, even though that dispute settlement system has been stalled since the first Trump administration. 'You still need to go through the available channels,' one Brazilian official said, while acknowledging that a resolution is unlikely under the current state of the WTO. More immediately, the government is fine-tuning measures to shield sectors most hurt by the U.S. tariffs set to take effect on Wednesday, extending financial relief to companies already facing canceled contracts. Officials have said the package will likely include credit lines and possible tweaks to the export credit insurance and export financing mechanisms, according to one of the sources. Finance Minister Fernando Haddad, who said relief measures could begin rolling out this week, on Friday said the government was never committed to retaliating against Washington. 'We never used that verb to characterize the actions the Brazilian government will take,' he said. 'These are actions to protect sovereignty, to protect our industry, our agribusiness, our agriculture,' he told reporters. 'That word (retaliation) was not present in the president's speech, nor in any minister's.' - Reuters
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Netherlands first to fund US arms for Ukraine via NATO channel
AMSTERDAM/BRUSSELS: The Netherlands said on Monday it will contribute 500 million euros ($578 million) to purchase U.S. military equipment for Ukraine, becoming the first NATO country to contribute to a new mechanism to supply Kyiv with American weapons. President Donald Trump said last month the U.S. would provide weapons to Ukraine, paid for by European allies, but he did not provide details on how this would work. 'As the first NATO ally, the Netherlands will deliver a €500 million package of US weapon systems (including Patriot parts and missiles),' Dutch Defence Minister Ruben Brekelmans said in a post on X. NATO chief Mark Rutte, a former Dutch prime minister, welcomed the announcement and said he has encouraged other alliance members to participate in the new mechanism, called the NATO Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) initiative. 'This is about getting Ukraine the equipment it urgently needs now to defend itself against Russian aggression,' Rutte said in a statement. 'I have written to all NATO Allies, urging them to contribute towards this burden sharing initiative, and I expect further significant announcements from other Allies soon,' he added. The U.S. ambassador to NATO, Matthew Whitaker, told Reuters on Monday that he expected many more countries to announce over the coming weeks that they will participate. 'We're moving as fast as possible,' Whitaker said in an interview at NATO headquarters in Brussels. Asked about a timeline for getting U.S. deliveries to Ukraine under the new mechanism, he said, 'I think we'll see it moving very quickly, certainly in the coming weeks, but some even sooner than that. 'The Dutch are just the first of many. You're going to see a series of announcements in the coming weeks,' he added. NATO said it would coordinate the new initiative, which is funded by European members of the alliance and Canada and will be divided into packages worth approximately $500 million. In a statement, the alliance said, 'Working closely with Ukraine and the United States, the Supreme Allied Commander Europe Alexus Grynkewich will validate packages that correspond to Ukraine's needs, such as air defence, ammunition and other critical equipment for rapid delivery from U.S. stockpiles'. Kyiv welcomed the Dutch decision. 'Ukraine, and thus the whole of Europe, will be better protected from Russian terror,' Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy wrote on X. 'I am sincerely grateful to the Netherlands for their substantial contribution to strengthening Ukraine's air shield,' he added. ($1 = 0.8649 euros) - Reuters
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Australia awards navy frigate contract to Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy
FILE PHOTO: Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles looks on during his ceremonial reception, in New Delhi, India, June 4, 2025. REUTERS/Anushree Fadnavis//File Photo SYDNEY (Reuters) -Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries will deliver Australia's new A$10 billion ($6.5 billion) navy frigate programme, Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said on Tuesday. The frigate contract, expected to be signed by the end of the year, will be the biggest Australian defence purchase since the government agreed to build nuclear-powered submarines with the United States and Britain in 2023, and one of Japan's biggest defence export deals. "Its going to be really important in terms of giving our navy the capability to project, and impactful projection is at the heart of the strategic challenge," Marles said, adding it was "a very significant moment in the bilateral relationship between Australia and Japan". MHI's Mogami frigate was selected over German company ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems' MEKO A-200 in a meeting of the government's national security committee on Monday. The upgraded Mogami-class frigate was capable of launching long-range missiles, and had a range of up to 10,000 nautical miles, compared to Australia's current Anzac Class frigates, which had a range of around 6,000 nautical miles, Marles said. It also operated with a smaller crew than the Anzac class. The government said in 2024 it would spend up to A$10 billion for the general-purpose frigates to replace the Anzac Class. They will be equipped for undersea warfare and air defence to secure maritime trade routes and Australia's northern approaches. It says the first three general-purpose frigates will be built offshore, with the remainder built in Western Australia. The first frigate is expected to be delivered in 2029. ($1 = 1.5456 Australian dollars) (Reporting by Alasdair Pal and Kirsty Needham in Sydney; Editing by Stephen Coates)
