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Trump’s pick for Singapore ambassador stumbles with answers in US Senate, accused of being unqualified

Dr Anjani Sinha, President Donald Trump’s ambassador-nominee to Singapore, stumbled over his responses during a United States (US) Senate confirmation hearing on 9 July.

Trump had previously nominated Dr Sinha as his pick to be ambassador to the island nation in March.

Source: APT on YouTube

The Indian-American surgeon addressed the 22-member Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which will later vote on whether to approve his nomination.

Although his hearing began well, Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth showed up in force with questions.

“This is not a role you can just pick up on a whim, or because you think it will be glamorous, or because Singapore is a great place to live,” she told him.

Ms Duckworth vocally expressed her doubts about Dr Sinha’s qualifications to be an ambassador and worried that he could cause friction in relations with Singapore.

Source: Sen. Tammy Duckworth on YouTube

As such, she gave him questions regarding “basic facts” about the two countries’ relationships.

Ambassador nominee gets Singapore trade figures ‘off by a huge factor’

“In 2024, did the United States have a trade deficit with Singapore?” she asked.

Dr Sinha correctly replied that it did not.

“How large was the US’ trade surplus with Singapore in 2024?” Ms Duckworth continued.

“US$18 billion,” he answered. Ms Duckworth corrected him, saying it was US$2.8 billion, and noted that he was “off by a huge factor”.

Source: Sen. Tammy Duckworth on YouTube

She followed up by asking how he would explain Trump’s threats of tariffs as high as 25% to Singapore, given the trade surplus.

Dr Sinha explained that he would form a personal relationship with Singapore’s government and settle trade issues through dialogue.

“Do you support the President’s plan to put a 10% tariff on Singapore?” the senator questioned.

Source: Donald Trump on Facebook

“I believe in [the] President’s decision of free trade with any nation in the world,” he replied, saying Trump was open to dialogue.

Ambassador pick unable to answer Senate questions about Singapore

Ms Duckworth then moved on to asking which year Singapore was next scheduled for ASEAN chairmanship.

“This year, it’s Malaysia,” Dr Sinha replied, nodding to himself.

Ms Duckworth reiterated her question to him and answered with “2027” after the ambassador-nominee admitted that he didn’t know.

Source: Sen. Tammy Duckworth on YouTube

Not relenting on her pressure, she then asked him to name one issue that might be critical to Singapore as ASEAN chair.

Dr Sinha awkwardly stammered through non-answers for over half a minute before replying with defence, economics, and trade.

“Those are very broad, name an issue,” Ms Duckworth pressed him.

“Trade,” Dr Sinha said again, leaving the dissatisfied senator to give up and switch topics.

Senator accuses Dr Sinha of not taking Singapore job seriously

She questioned him on how he envisioned strengthening the US Navy’s work with Singapore, as well as about any facilities central to their relationship.

Dr Sinha replied that the navies trained together, which Ms Duckworth found too broad again.

“Please, I’m trying to help you here, but you’ve not even done your homework,” she said in exasperation.

Source: Sen. Tammy Duckworth on YouTube

Ms Duckworth told him that Singapore was too important to the US and the region to be treated as an easy posting for an ambassador.

“I just feel that you are not taking this seriously. You think this is a glamour posting, that you’re going to be living a nice life in Singapore, but what we need is someone who’s actually going to do the work.”

Taking to X after the hearing, Ms Duckworth said that Dr Sinha is “deeply unprepared” to be the US ambassador to Singapore and will not get her vote.

Source: Tammy Duckworth on X

Dr Sinha cites common elements with Vivian Balakrishnan

Earlier in the hearing, Republican Senator Pete Ricketts had asked him about what areas he would prioritise to strengthen relations between the two nations.

Dr Sinha said his first basis would be to create a strong relationship and deepen the economic ties with Singapore.

Mr Ricketts commented that he would make a good connection with Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan as they were both doctors.

Source: Vivian Balakrishnan on Facebook

Dr Sinha claimed that they had “so many things in common”, as Dr Balakrishnan was an “eye surgeon” while he was an orthopaedic one.

He also noted that Dr Balakrishnan’s wife became a neurologist while his spouse was an anaesthesiologist.

“His kids are lawyers. Our kids are lawyers and doctors, so we have a strong connection already.”

However, according to Channel News Asia, Ms Joy Balakrishnan, Dr Balakrishnan’s wife, is neither a neurologist nor a doctor.

Also read: ‘Grounded in common sense & national interests’: US Defence Secretary likened Lee Kuan Yew’s approach to Trump’s

‘Grounded in common sense & national interests’: US Defence Secretary likened Lee Kuan Yew’s approach to Trump’s

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