‘Direct line’ to Trump? US envoy pick for Malaysia stirs debate following Singapore controversy
“Alpha-male” influencer Nick Adams has been nominated by US President Donald Trump as envoy to Malaysia. He has faced criticism for reportedly misogynistic remarks.
Nick Adams with US President Donald Trump. (Photo: Instagram/@nickaone)
This audio is generated by an AI tool.
SINGAPORE: Right-wing commentator and self-described “alpha male” Nick Adams has stirred controversy as US President Donald Trump’s pick for ambassador to Malaysia.
This comes over Trump’s recent ambassadorial choices - including Adams and Anjani Sinha, nominee for ambassador to Singapore - who, some analysts said, lack formal diplomatic experience.
Adams, an Australian-American commentator who rallied actively for Trump for the 2024 US election, has appeared in the press for his reportedly misogynistic remarks and brash nature. He is also known for his loyalty to the Hooters restaurant chain.
The restaurant chain is known for its marketing approach that has often been criticised for objectifying women.
In a post on X on Thursday (Jul 10) following his nomination, Adams thanked the US president for the “honor of a lifetime”.
“In your America, all dreams come true. It will be my honour to represent the United States of America in Malaysia,” Adams added.
In a three-minute-long video which accompanied the X post, the naturalised US citizen said that it is “nothing short of a lifetime’s honour to take the president’s goodwill and spread it to the great people of Malaysia”.
Adam’s nomination is not the only one to have hit the spotlight.
Trump’s nominee for ambassador to Singapore Anjani Sinha recently sparked controversy after he was seen struggling in his responses during a Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday.
US Senator Tammy Duckworth said that Sinha was not particularly qualified for the role, adding that she was concerned about how his "lack of understanding may even inadvertently cause friction in our critical relationship".
Trump nominated Sinha as the US ambassador to Singapore in March and in a post on Truth Social then, described him as a “highly respected entrepreneur with an incredible family”.
Sinha is a surgeon on the East Coast specialising in orthopaedics and sports medicine.
“It’s obvious that these two people (Sinha and Adams) have no background in diplomacy. They were appointed because they are very loyal to Donald Trump,” James Chin, a professor of Asian Studies at the Asia Institute Tasmania at the University of Tasmania told 鶹.
He added that there are two ways to interpret the “direct line” they have with Trump.
One interpretation, he said, is that the appointments were Trump’s way to "reward" them for being his supporters.
"That's the reason why he sent these people to places like Malaysia, Singapore, which he considers not very, very important countries ... so it really doesn't matter if you send a lightweight," he added.
The other interpretation is that such nominations could also hold potential advantages.
"Trump actually regards Malaysia and Singapore as important countries, that's why he appoints people that he knows very well, people who have a direct line to him and therefore can call him up and tell him what's going on," said Chin.
"So if there's a problem in a relationship, they can actually pick up a phone and call the White House, and in all probability, Trump will take the call," he added.
Referring to Sinha, Bilahari Kausikan - former diplomat and permanent secretary at Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs - said: "He's an inside track to Trump. Since they're golf buddies, the golf game ensures a regular hearing. It's for 3.5 years.”
“Either you get one of Trump's buddies and an unofficial channel to the White House, or you get a career diplomat and everything goes through the bureaucracy ... the last option is no ambassador at all," said Kausikan.
Adib Zalkapli, a managing director at Viewfinder Global Affairs in Malaysia echoed the sentiment that Adams' potential appointment could be useful for Malaysia.
"He speaks MAGA, he has access to the president, giving Malaysian officials clearer insight into the administration’s priorities and mindset," Adib told 鶹, referring to Trump's Make America Great Again slogan
Related:
WHO IS NICK ADAMS?
Adams has long been an outspoken supporter of Trump and is known for his pro-American advocacy, having written several books and made numerous media appearances promoting right-wing values.
He started his political career in Sydney, but was threatened with suspension from the Liberal Party in Australia after he was filmed verbally abusing a journalist in 2009. He later quit the party, according to media reports.
He moved to the US in 2012 and became a US citizen in 2021. After moving to the US, Adams set up the Foundation for Liberty and American Greatness, a non-profit dedicated to instilling conservative values in children.
Adams is known for his controversial social media persona.
He has made headlines for what various media reports describe as misogynistic comments, including referring to pop star Taylor Swift as a “jezebel” and once even staged a protest in New York’s Times Square over an M&M’s “all-female” packaging campaign celebrating women.In a widely circulated post on X in 2023, Adams wrote: “I go to Hooters. I eat rare steaks. I lift extremely heavy weights. I read the Bible every night. I am pursued by a copious amount of women.”
“My critics hate me because I have the body of a Greek God,” he said in the same X post.
"The nominee’s public views and comments were aimed at a domestic American audience and should not be taken as the only indicator of how he will perform as an ambassador abroad," said Adib, the managing director at Viewfinder Global Affairs, referring to Adams' controversial past social media posts.
“Nick is an incredible Patriot and very successful entrepreneur, whose love of, and devotion to, our Great Country is an inspiration,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social on early Friday.
During Trump’s first term, he had nominated Adams to serve on the board of the Woodrow Wilson International Centre for Scholars.
Trump’s nomination of Adams as ambassador to Malaysia is expected to go through the Senate confirmation process before the appointment can be formalised.
If confirmed, Adams will replace Edgard Kagan, who was appointed by former President Joe Biden and has served a stint of about 16 months since March last year.
Kagan is also a career member of the Senior Foreign Service and was most recently the Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for East Asia and Oceania at the National Security Council.
Adams was one of the four ambassadorial nominees submitted for Senate confirmation on Wednesday, alongside picks for Sri Lanka, Thailand and Kazakhstan.
The White House has nominated Sean Kotaro O’Neill as the next US Ambassador to Thailand, replacing Robert F Godec who has held the post since Oct 7, 2022.
The latest diplomatic picks come amid scrutiny over the ongoing controversy.
Principal adviser for the Pacific Research Center of Malaysia and senior fellow at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs Oh Ei Sun said it is “not the first time so-called friends of the president with no previous diplomatic experience are nominated for ambassadorial posts”.
“In fact, it is very common,” Oh told 鶹, citing the former US Ambassador to Singapore, Jonathan Kaplan.
Kaplan, who served as the ambassador from 2021 to January this year under Biden’s administration, had made significant financial contributions to the Democratic Party’s political committees.
According to Campaign Legal Centre, he donated US$104,800 to various Democratic political causes in the 10 years leading up to his ambassadorial nomination. He also raised funds for Biden’s presidential campaign.
Campaign Legal Centre is a non-profit government watchdog group in the US.
