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Independent Singapore
12-07-2025
- Politics
- Independent Singapore
‘More embarassador than ambassador.' Donald Trump's pick for envoy to SG roasted online
SINGAPORE: United States President Donald Trump's choice for ambassador to Singapore had a humiliating time before the Senate earlier this week. 'I'm trying to help you here,' Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth told Dr Anjani Sinha, an orthopaedic and sports surgeon Mr Trump handpicked for the position. 'But you haven't even done your homework.' Ms Duckworth asked Dr Sinha a series of questions regarding Singapore's economy, the US Navy's work with Singapore, and when the city-state will chair the ASEAN, which the would-be envoy visibly struggled to answer. This resulted in the Senator telling him: 'You are not taking this seriously. You think this is a glamour posting. You think that you're going to live a nice life in Singapore, but what we need is someone who's actually going to do the work.' @thechillicrap Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth reprimands Dr. Anjani Sinha after the US ambassador to Singapore nominee fails to answer questions on the country and its ties with the US during a Senate hearing… #singaporetiktok #tiktoksingapore #tiktoksg #tarrifs ♬ original sound – thechillicrap – thechillicrap The senator underlined how important Singapore is to the United States, especially in the region, in the context of the tensions between the US and China. Ms Duckworth told Dr Sinha, 'I want to reinforce for you again right now. You are not currently prepared for this posting. Period. And you need to shape up and do some homework.' As the clip of Dr Sinha's grilling was shared on social media, some commenters took to calling him more of an 'embarassador than ambassador.' 'Anjani Sinha has absolutely zero expertise or experience in international relations or diplomacy whatsoever,' a Facebook user noted. Another wrote, 'Jialut la. As an HR practitioner, this is a big FAIL for an interview. The end of US supremacy is near.' Dr Sinha, a staunch supporter of the Republican Party in the US, was nominated for the post by Mr Trump in March, which means he's certainly had ample time to prepare for the ambassadorship to Singapore. In a post on Truth Social , the US President wrote, 'I have no doubt that Anji will strongly represent our Nation's interests, and put America first. Congratulations, Anji!' He is said to have been friends with Mr Trump for over 10 years, according to an introduction from Senator Lindsey Graham. In May, the U.S. Department of State touted Dr Sinha's 'deep social and cultural ties to the Indo-Pacific region' and wrote that he is 'uniquely positioned to relate to its key stakeholders.' 'His appreciation for Singapore's role as a financial hub, and his own business expertise — particularly in the life sciences and healthcare sectors – render him well qualified to serve as U.S. Ambassador to Singapore,' it added. Despite Dr Sinha's poor showing this week and the backlash that ensued online, he is still likely to be confirmed as ambassador to Singapore, given the Republican Party's majority. /TISG Read also: U.S. Defence Secretary compares Donald Trump to Lee Kuan Yew, but Singaporeans say 'ah gong confirm flip in his grave' See also Billionaire Bezos buys estate for $165 mn: report
The Independent
10-07-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Trump's nominee for Singapore ambassador criticised in Senate for lack of regional knowledge
Donald Trump 's nominee for ambassador to Singapore faced sharp criticism during his Senate confirmation hearing after repeatedly failing to answer questions on US-Singapore relations and broader Southeast Asian affairs. Anjani Sinha's hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee was marked by a tense exchange with Democratic senator Tammy Duckworth, who said the nominee was "not currently prepared for this posting" and even accused him of treating the role like a "glamour posting". The exchange went viral on social media in Singapore and prompted widespread ridicule, with commentators calling him 'more embarassador than ambassador'. Mr Sinha, an orthopaedic and sports medicine surgeon originally from India, was nominated for the position in March. He has no diplomatic experience but has long been a supporter of Mr Trump, with Republican senator Lindsey Graham introducing him as 'a friend of President Trump for over a decade', the BBC reported. The president, in his nomination statement, described Mr Sinha as 'a highly respected entrepreneur, with an incredible family!' Mr Sinha struggled under questioning. When asked about the US trade surplus with Singapore, he gave an incorrect figure of $80bn, then $18bn, before Senator Duckworth clarified it was $2.8bn in 2024. To questions about how he would explain Mr Trump's recent 10 per cent tariff on Singaporean goods and when Singapore would next chair the Association of Southeast Asian Nations bloc, Mr Sinha gave answers ending with 'the dialogue is not closed'. He incorrectly claimed Malaysia held the Asean chair and was unaware that Singapore would take over in 2027. 'You've not even done your homework, sir," Senator Duckworth said. 'You think this is a glamour posting, that you're going to live a nice life in Singapore, when what we need is someone who can actually do the work.' She added that Singapore was 'one of the most important alliances and friends' that the US had in the Indo-Pacific. In his testimony, Mr Sinha described himself as a 'lifelong bridge builder' and said he hoped to strengthen ties with Singapore in areas such as defence, trade and technology. He cited a personal connection with Singaporean foreign minister Vivian Balakrishnan and spoke of shared cultural values. Mr Sinha is likely still to be confirmed given the Republican majority in the Senate. Prof Joseph Liow, Southeast Asian politics expert at Singapore's S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, said that the nominee "could have been better prepared" but pointed out that Singapore had historically maintained strong ties with the US regardless of the ambassador in place. 'It is true he did not give the best account during the hearings and could have been better prepared,' he told the South China Morning Post. 'It probably did not help that he was quizzed by Tammy Duckworth, who has a distinguished military record, is very familiar with Southeast Asia and speaks a few regional languages.' Former Singaporean diplomat Bilahari Kausikan urged the public not to rush to judgment, noting that even ambassadors with rocky confirmation hearings, such as Richard Kniep under president Jimmy Carter, had served the relationship well. 'We should treat the new ambassador with courtesy and respect and not prejudge him,' he said on his social media page.
Malay Mail
10-07-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
‘You've not even done your homework': Trump's envoy pick told Singapore no ‘glamour posting', grilled over tariffs and Asean
WASHINGTON, July 10 — US President Donald Trump's nominee for ambassador to Singapore, Dr Anjani Sinha, came under tough questioning during his Senate confirmation hearing, struggling to defend the administration's tariff policies and demonstrate knowledge of US-Singapore relations. The Straits Times reported that Dr Sinha, a retired orthopaedic surgeon, faced intense scrutiny from Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth, who expressed doubts about his qualifications and preparedness for the role during a two-hour session before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. 'This is not a role you can just pick up on a whim, or because you think it will be glamorous,' Duckworth was quoted saying, questioning his grasp of key economic and diplomatic issues, including the US trade surplus with Singapore and the impact of recent tariffs announced by Trump. When asked to state the size of the US trade surplus with Singapore, Dr Sinha incorrectly estimated it at US$18 billion. Duckworth corrected him, noting it was US$2.8 billion in 2024, and pressed him on how he would justify new tariffs to Singapore, a long-time US trading partner. Duckworth also challenged him on regional knowledge, pointing out he was unable to name when Singapore next chairs Asean (2027) or identify specific US military facilities in Singapore. 'You've not even done your homework, sir,' she said, as she accused him of not taking his posting seriously. 'Singapore may feature incredible culture, but that should not be treated as a glamour posting. This nation is too important to the United States, to Asean, to the entire region.' 'I just feel that you are not taking this seriously. You think... you're going to live a nice life in Singapore, but what we need is someone who's going to actually do the work,' she reportedly said. Until Duckworth's intervention, the hearing had been largely supportive. In his opening statement, Dr Sinha described Singapore as a 'key strategic partner' and highlighted opportunities for growth in defence, technology, and trade. Dr Sinha noted shared experiences with Singapore's Foreign Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, including their medical backgrounds and family similarities, saying, 'So we have a strong connection already.' Born in India and based in the US since 1977, Dr Sinha has practised sports medicine for decades and has been married to Dr Kiki Sinha, a retired anaesthesiologist, for 48 years. Their son attended the hearing, while their daughter watched from Norway. Dr Sinha was nominated by Trump on March 11. His confirmation now awaits a vote in the Senate, where Republicans hold a 53–47 majority.
CNA
10-07-2025
- Business
- CNA
Anjani Sinha, Trump's pick for ambassador to Singapore, struggles with answers at Senate hearing
SINGAPORE: Dr Anjani Sinha, US President Donald Trump's nominee for ambassador to Singapore, struggled with his responses during a Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday (Jul 9). The session at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which included four other nominees for various positions, saw a Democratic senator probe Dr Sinha's knowledge about Singapore. In his opening statement, Dr Sinha extended his "deep gratitude to President Trump for his nomination, and to Secretary Rubio for his support". Dr Sinha said in his statement that Singapore is the US' "key strategic partner and friend" in the Indo-Pacific. "Close cooperation with Singapore, along with our other allies and partners in the region, is more critical today than ever before." "In Singapore, I will look to expand and deepen our defence and security cooperation, economic and trade relationship, and people-to-people ties," Dr Sinha said. EXCHANGE WITH DUCKWORTH Before starting her questions, Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth told Dr Sinha that the ambassador role is not something to pick up on a "whim, or because you think it will be glamorous, or because Singapore is a great place to live". She said that Dr Sinha was not particularly qualified for the role, adding that she was concerned about how his "lack of understanding may even inadvertently cause friction in our critical relationship". Ms Duckworth then asked Dr Sinha: "How large was the US trade surplus with Singapore in 2024?" Dr Sinha, who appeared nervous, said US$80 billion, before correcting the figure to US$18 billion. The senator told him that it was actually US$2.8 billion and that he was "off by a huge factor". She then asked how he would explain to "our friends in Singapore the president's threats to slap tariffs as high as 25 per cent on their country", given the US' trade surplus with country. Singapore was hit with a tariff level of 10 per cent, the Trump administration announced in April. Dr Sinha replied: "We are not walking away from any dialogue between the two countries and two leaders. If confirmed, I will make a personal (relationship) with the government of Singapore, and I will make sure the dialogue continues and we settle the issues of trade together." When pressured by Ms Duckworth on whether he supported Mr Trump's decision to impose tariffs on Singapore, Dr Sinha did not directly respond. He said he believes in Mr Trump's decision of a "free trade with any nation in the world", adding that the US president was "resetting the trade numbers with each country, and he's open for discussion and dialogue with these countries". Dr Sinha was also unable to answer Ms Duckworth's question on when Singapore was next slated to hold the ASEAN chairmanship, with the senator telling him that the answer was "2027". Ms Duckworth then proceeded to question Dr Sinha on what might be of critical importance to Singapore in its role as ASEAN chair. Dr Sinha's answer was deemed too "broad" by Ms Duckworth. She also lambasted Dr Sinha's answer to her question relating to the US Navy's work with Singapore. "Can you name a specific thing, please. I'm trying to help you here, but you've not even done your homework, sir," she said. "You want to be ambassador to Singapore, one of the most important alliance friends we have in the Indo-Pacific, a key place that we're going to be fighting against our greatest adversary in the region, the PRC," Ms Duckworth said. She said that Singapore may feature incredible culture, but that should not be treated as a "glamour posting". "This nation is too important to the United States, to ASEAN, to the entire region," she added. "I just feel that you are not taking this seriously, and you think this is a glamour posting that you're going to live a nice life in Singapore." Earlier on in the nomination hearing, Dr Sinha was warmly introduced by Republican Senator Lindsey Graham. Dr Sinha has been friends with Mr Trump for over a decade and Mr Graham himself has known him for years, the senator said. Mr Graham said that Singapore has a very "vibrant medical community, a lot of medical tourism, biotech, medical innovation". "All of this is right up his alley ... He'll be a great spokesperson for our country and Singapore, and he knows the region and the issues," said Mr Graham. Republican senator Pete Ricketts noted that he met with Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing at the Shangri-La dialogue earlier this year. When asked what areas he would prioritise to strengthen the US-Singapore partnership and deepen cooperation as ambassador, Dr Sinha said: 'As you know, I am a physician, a surgeon, so I have been a long-time bridge builder and I believe strongly in a person-to-person connection." "If confirmed, my first basis would be to go there and create a very good, strong relationship with Singapore government. And obviously, I will do my best to increase ... I will deepen the defence security and economic ties with Singapore.' Mr Ricketts said that Dr Sinha would make 'a good connection with the foreign minister there' as Dr Balakrishnan is also a physician. Dr Sinha said: "Actually, him and I, we have so many things in common. He went to his school and became an eye surgeon. I went to his school and became an orthopaedic surgeon." "His wife is a physician who became a neurologist. My wife is an anaesthesiologist. His kids are lawyers. Our kids are lawyers and doctors. So we have a strong connection already." In March, Trump named Dr Sinha as his nominee to be the country's ambassador to Singapore. In a post on Truth Social then, Mr Trump said: "Anji is a highly respected entrepreneur, with an incredible family." He added: "The United States' relationship with Singapore is vital, and I have no doubt that Anji will strongly represent our nation's interests and put America first." Dr Sinha is a surgeon on the East Coast specialising in orthopaedics and sports medicine. The US State Department said he is an "accomplished entrepreneur, having built multiple thriving key-man practices with specialised teams across eight locations in New York, and has served as a senior surgical consultant in Florida".
Independent Singapore
23-05-2025
- Business
- Independent Singapore
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Goh Chok Tong meet former U.S. President Bill Clinton
Asia This Week US Singapore News SINGAPORE: Prime Minister Lawrence Wong met with former U.S. President Bill Clinton, this week. The meeting, which took place on Wednesday (May 21) as part of Mr Clinton's visit to the region, focused on exchanging insights on global and regional developments. In a LinkedIn post following the meeting, Prime Minister Wong expressed appreciation for President Clinton's longstanding support of U.S.-Singapore relations during his presidency. He noted that Mr Clinton had worked closely with then-Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong to lay the groundwork for the U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (USSFTA). The USSFTA was historic as it was the first bilateral free trade agreement between the United States and an Asian country. The FTA eliminated tariffs on goods, enhanced intellectual property protections, and expanded access to services, financial markets, and government procurement opportunities. The agreement was signed in 2003 and went into force in 2004. It remains a central component of U.S.-Singapore economic ties. See also Is Multi-Ministry Task Force changing its Covid-19 strategy? Prime Minister Wong said on social media, 'Singapore and the US continue to share many areas of strategic cooperation. We look forward to deepening this partnership in the years ahead.'
