Since Donald Trump came back to the White House, Washington has started to resemble St PETERsburg—not the Russian city, but a living monument to the Peter Principle. For the uninitiated, the Peter Principle states that in any hierarchy, people tend to rise to their level of incompetence. Under Trump 2.0, that appears to be the primary qualification for public office. Loyalty? Optional. Expertise? Disqualifying. But even in this sea of spectacular underperformance, one recent Senate hearing managed to set a new low: the confirmation hearing of Dr Anjani Sinha, nominee for US Ambassador to Singapore.What was expected to be a routine appearance before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on July 9 quickly turned into a masterclass in diplomatic unpreparedness. Dr Sinha, a retired orthopaedic surgeon and longtime Trump acquaintance, floundered as Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth subjected him to a barrage of basic questions on trade, defence, and Southeast Asian diplomacy—none of which he seemed ready for.“This is not a role you can just pick up on a whim, or because Singapore is a great place to live,” Duckworth warned, moments before dissecting his talking points with surgical precision. “I just feel that you are not taking this seriously.”
Off by Billions
Asked to state the size of the US trade surplus with Singapore in 2024, Dr Sinha confidently said US$18 billion. The actual figure? US$2.8 billion. “You’re off by a huge factor,” Duckworth said bluntly.His explanation of Trump’s sudden tariff threats—up to 25% on imports from a long-time trade partner with a free trade agreement since 2004—didn’t go over well either. “The President is resetting the trade numbers,” he replied, offering no rationale for how a surplus justifies sanctions.
Geography, Defence and Homework Gaps
Things only got worse when Duckworth asked Sinha when Singapore would next chair Asean. He couldn’t answer. “2027,” she supplied. When asked to name a priority issue for Singapore as chair, he cited “defence and trade.” “Too broad,” she shot back.Asked how he would strengthen US-Singapore military cooperation, Sinha mentioned joint exercises—again too vague for Duckworth. “Name a specific facility,” she demanded. He couldn’t.“You want to be ambassador to Singapore, one of the most important friends we have in the Indo-Pacific… and you’ve not even done your homework,” she said, visibly frustrated. “You think you’re going to live a nice life in Singapore, but what we need is someone who’s going to actually do the work.”
Doctor vs Doctor? Not Quite.
Republican senators tried to smooth things over. Lindsey Graham described Sinha as a “talented entrepreneur.” Senator Pete Ricketts, fresh from the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, urged Sinha to bond with Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan over their shared medical background.Sinha, eager to connect, replied: “He became an eye surgeon, I became an orthopaedic surgeon. His wife is a neurologist, mine an anaesthesiologist. His kids are lawyers—ours are lawyers and doctors.”There was just one problem: Vivian Balakrishnan’s wife isn’t a neurologist. She isn’t even a doctor. She’s an educator and founder of a children’s charity. The detail was not only incorrect but emblematic of a deeper issue: a nominee who appeared to have prepped for a dinner party, not a diplomatic post.
St PETERsburg, USA
Dr Sinha’s performance would be comical if it weren’t consistent with the broader dysfunction of Trump’s second term. A Homeland Security Secretary who shot her own dog. A Defence Secretary who leaked classified plans on Signal. A National Security Adviser who added journalists to chats about bombing Yemen. A Vice President who asks foreign leaders to say “thank you” and rivals Death in his unpopularity. In Trump’s Washington, incompetence isn’t accidental—it’s structural.The Peter Principle isn’t just theory anymore. It’s the governing philosophy of the world’s most powerful democracy. And Sinha’s nomination is one more brick in a crumbling edifice where personal loyalty and vibes matter more than preparation or policy.Who Is Anjani Sinha?Born in India and immigrated to the US in 1977, Dr Anjani Sinha made his name—and fortune—as a sports medicine specialist and medical entrepreneur on Long Island. Trump nominated him on March 11 in a brief Truth Social post, referring to him as “Dr Anji Sinha” and hailing him as a “highly respected entrepreneur with an incredible family.”His wife, Dr Kiki Sinha, a retired NYU anaesthesiologist, and their son were present at the hearing. His daughter, a lawyer in Norway, watched the proceedings online.In his opening statement, Sinha described Singapore as “a key strategic partner and friend in the Indo-Pacific,” and promised to expand defence ties, tech cooperation, and people-to-people contact. The specifics, however, were scarce.
What Happens Now?
As of July 27, 2025, Dr Anjani Sinha has not yet been confirmed as ambassador to Singapore. His nomination was reported favorably by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on July 16 and is currently on the Senate Executive Calendar (No. 288), awaiting a full floor vote. With Republicans holding 53 of 100 Senate seats, his confirmation remains likely unless new objections emerge.If confirmed, Sinha will be dispatched to a country that has become one of the United States’ most important Indo-Pacific partners—economically, militarily, and strategically. Whether he can represent that relationship with competence is a question that now hangs over the chamber—and the region.
