Anjani Sinha, US President Donald Trump’s nominee for ambassador to Singapore, faced intense criticism during his Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday after struggling to answer basic questions about the island-state and US interests in the region.
Sinha, an orthopaedic surgeon and entrepreneur with no diplomatic background, was pressed by Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth on issues ranging from Singapore’s trade surplus to the country’s role in ASEAN and the US Navy’s presence in the region. His inconsistent and often incorrect responses drew swift rebuke.
Who is Anjani Sinha?
Dr Anjani Sinha, a Florida-based orthopaedic and sports medicine surgeon, was nominated by President Trump in March to serve as the US Ambassador to Singapore. Hailing originally from India, Sinha graduated from MGM Medical School and Delhi University with a Master’s in Orthopedic Surgery and has worked across both public and private health sectors in the US.
He is also an entrepreneur who built a network of clinics across New York and later served as a senior surgical consultant in Florida.
Trump praised him as a “highly respected entrepreneur” and posted on Truth Social: “I have no doubt that Anji will strongly represent our Nation’s Interests, and put America First. Congratulations Anji!”
The US State Department cited his “native respect for both American and Asian values” and strong business background in the Indo-Pacific region as reasons for his selection.
He and his wife, Dr Kiki Sinha, a retired anesthesiologist and former NYU faculty member, as per a document by Department of State, have donated to several educational institutions in the US and India.
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A controversial senate hearing
During the Senate confirmation, Duckworth questioned Sinha’s knowledge of US-Singapore relations, ASEAN, and key regional issues.
The nominee stumbled repeatedly, most notably when asked about Singapore’s trade surplus with the US. He first claimed it was $80 billion, then corrected himself to $18 billion. The actual figure, Duckworth said, was just $2.8 billion.
Dr. Anjani Sinha is deeply unprepared to effectively lead our nation’s diplomatic mission in Singapore.⁰ ⁰He will not have my vote. pic.twitter.com/ACK8HhvUkO
— Tammy Duckworth (@SenDuckworth) July 9, 2025
When Senator Duckworth asked him when will Singapore chair ASEAN next, Sinha incorrectly stated that Malaysia currently held the position. Duckworth, a retired Army National Guard Lieutenant Colonel and the first Thai-American woman elected to Congress, pressed him again, prompting a pause, before finally supplying the correct answer herself: “2027”.
Sinha also appeared uncertain while trying to defend President Trump’s tariffs on Singapore. On April 2, Trump had announced a baseline 10 per cent tariff on imports from Singapore — despite a longstanding free-trade agreement between the two countries since 2004. Higher tariffs are anticipated in specific sectors, including semiconductors and pharmaceuticals.
Attempting to justify the decision, Sinha said: “I believe in the president’s decision of a free trade … and he’s resetting the trade numbers with each country and he’s open for discussion and dialogue with these countries.”
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Duckworth pointed Singapore’s strategic importance during the hearing, describing it as “one of the most important alliances, friends” that the US has in the Indo-Pacific. She added that it was a key location where the US would be “going to be fighting against [its] greatest adversary in the region, the PRC”, referring to China.
The most heated moment came when Duckworth, visibly frustrated, accused Sinha of treating the posting like a “glamour job.”
Duckworth told Sinha: “You are not currently prepared for this posting, period, and you need to shape up and do some homework.” She added, “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.”
President Donald Trump’s pick to serve as ambassador to Singapore, Anjani Sinha, faced tough questioning during a Senate confirmation hearing in which he struggled to answer inquiries from Illinois Democrat Tammy Duckworth about the city-state and its ties to Washington.… pic.twitter.com/nG56LcvRoh
— Bloomberg (@business) July 10, 2025
The exchange has since gone viral in Singapore, where the US maintains significant strategic and economic interests. Critics online have mocked Sinha’s lack of preparation, with one comment as reported by BBC, labelling him “more embarassador than ambassador.”
Despite the grilling, Sinha defended his candidacy, calling himself a “lifelong bridge builder” and pledging to strengthen ties with Singapore. He was introduced at the hearing by Republican Senator Lindsey Graham as “a friend of President Trump for over a decade.”
A final vote on Sinha’s confirmation remains pending.
