Trump’s pick for Singapore ambassador SLAMMED by US Senate: Who is Indian-origin Anjani Sinha

United States President Donald Trump's pick for ambassador to Singapore - Anjani Sinha - has gone viral on the internet, not for the right reasons, though. Several videos of Sinha being grilled by the US Senate are doing the rounds on the internet. In these videos, Sinha is seen clueless when asked questions related to Singapore. He is slammed for his lack of knowledge regarding the place where he will be posted.

Who is Anjani Sinha?

Anjani Sinha, the Indian American orthopaedic and sports medicine surgeon 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 an entrepreneur who built clinics across New York. While nominating him, Trump termed him as 'highly respected entrepreneur' and said that he is sure Anjani would "strongly represent our nation’s interests."

Why was Anjani Sinha grilled by US Senate?

However, during a Senate confirmation for his post, Anjani Sinha was slammed for his lack of knowledge by Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth. When asked about Singapore's trade surplus with the US, Anjani Sinha claimed that it was $80 billion. He then corrected himself and said $18 billion, while the actual figure was $2.8 billion. She said that Sinha is "deeply unprepared to effectively lead the nation's diplomatic mission in Singapore." When asked about when Singapore will chair ASEAN next, Sinha stated that Malaysia holds the position for the chair now. When interrupted again, Sinha gave the correct answer after a brief pause.

Moreover, Sinha was also seen unsure when asked about Donald Trump's tariffs on Singapore. “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,” Sinha said. Duckworth further slammed him stating that Singapore is an important US ally in the INdo-Pacific and Anjani Sinha should not take it as 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." 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." "He will not have my vote," she added.