Who is Dr Anjani Sinha? Trump’s pick for Singapore envoy grilled in Senate

Dr Anjani Sinha, the nominee for U.S. Ambassador to Singapore, is facing widespread criticism after struggling to answer basic questions about Singapore during his Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday.

During the hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth strongly questioned Dr Sinha’s understanding of the U.S.-Singapore relationship and the country’s role in Southeast Asia.

“You are not currently prepared for this posting, period, and you need to shape up and do some homework,” Senator Duckworth told him, visibly frustrated with his answers.

Dr Sinha, a Florida-based orthopaedic and sports medicine surgeon born in India, was nominated by President Donald Trump in March. Trump described him as a “highly respected entrepreneur” with strong ties to the Indo-Pacific region. Despite his business background, critics are questioning his lack of diplomatic or regional expertise.

In the hearing, Dr Sinha gave multiple inaccurate or unclear answers. He misquoted Singapore’s trade surplus with the U.S., initially stating $80 billion, then $18 billion, while the correct figure is $2.8 billion. He also failed to provide clear answers on Singapore’s upcoming chairmanship of ASEAN and the U.S. Navy’s strategic presence in Singapore.

Senator Duckworth accused him of treating the role like a “glamour posting” and warned that the job required serious preparation and diplomatic competence.

The awkward exchange has since gone viral, especially in Singapore, where many have taken to social media to mock Dr Sinha’s performance. Comments online have labeled him as “more Embarassador than Ambassador,” while others called the hearing a “disaster.”

Despite the backlash, Dr Sinha’s confirmation remains likely, as Republicans currently hold a majority in the Senate and its committees.