President Donald Trump’s nominee for US Ambassador to Singapore, Dr. Anjani Sinha, found himself at the center of controversy this week after a challenging Senate confirmation hearing. Trump, announcing Sinha’s nomination in March, praised him as a “highly respected entrepreneur” and wrote 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 Sinha’s “native respect for both American and Asian values” and his strong business background in the Indo-Pacific region as key factors in his selection.
Who is Anjani Sinha?
Dr. Anjani Sinha is a Florida-based orthopaedic and sports medicine surgeon with a distinguished career in both public and private healthcare. Originally from India, he graduated from MGM Medical School and Delhi University with a Master’s in Orthopedic Surgery.
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
Sinha later built a network of clinics in New York and served as a senior surgical consultant in Florida. He is also known for his philanthropic work, with he and his wife, Dr. Kiki Sinha—a retired anesthesiologist and former NYU faculty member—donating to several educational institutions in the US and India.
Despite his medical and entrepreneurial credentials, Sinha has no prior diplomatic experience, a fact that became a focal point during his Senate hearing.
Senate Hearing Turns Contentious
During Wednesday’s Senate confirmation hearing, Sinha faced intense questioning from Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth of Illinois. Duckworth pressed Sinha on a range of critical topics, from Singapore’s economic relationship with the US to its strategic role in Southeast Asia and the US Navy’s presence in the region.
Sinha’s responses were inconsistent and, at times, incorrect. When asked about Singapore’s trade surplus with the US, Sinha initially claimed it was $80 billion, then revised his answer to $18 billion.
Senator Duckworth corrected him, stating the actual figure was just $2.8 billion. The nominee also stumbled when asked about ASEAN leadership, incorrectly stating that Malaysia currently held the chair. Duckworth ultimately supplied the correct answer herself: “2027.”
Struggles to Defend Trump’s Tariffs
Sinha also appeared uncertain when defending President Trump’s recent tariffs on Singapore. In April, Trump announced a baseline 10 percent tariff on imports from Singapore, despite a free-trade agreement between the two countries since 2004.
Higher tariffs are expected in sectors like semiconductors and pharmaceuticals. Sinha attempted to justify the move, saying, “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.”
Duckworth, a retired Army National Guard Lieutenant Colonel and the first Thai-American woman elected to Congress, underscored Singapore’s importance as a US ally in the Indo-Pacific. She described it as “one of the most important alliances, friends” for the US, and a key location in the strategic competition with China.
Accusations of Treating the Role as “Glamour Job”
The hearing’s most heated moment came when Duckworth accused Sinha of treating the ambassadorship as a “glamour job.” She told him, “You are not currently prepared for this posting, period, and you need to shape up and do some homework. 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.”
Sinha defended himself, describing his candidacy as that of a “lifelong bridge builder” and pledging to strengthen US-Singapore ties. He was introduced at the hearing by Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who called him “a friend of President Trump for over a decade.”
Viral Reaction and Ongoing Debate
The exchange quickly went viral in Singapore, where the US maintains significant strategic and economic interests. Online critics mocked Sinha’s lack of preparation, with one BBC-reported comment dubbing him “more embarassador than ambassador.”
Despite the grilling, Sinha remains in the running for the post. A final Senate vote on his confirmation is still pending, leaving the future of Trump’s controversial nominee uncertain.
