Malaysia in a tight spot as pressure builds to reject Trump's 'alpha male' pick as ambassador

Straits Times

6 days ago

KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia's government is facing mounting calls to reject a self-styled "alpha male" influencer picked by President Donald Trump to be U.S. ambassador, in what could risk damaging ties at a critical time of tariff talks between the two countries.
The White House has proposed 40-year-old author and outspoken political commentator Nick Adams to the Senate as its nominee for ambassador to Malaysia, triggering concerns in the Muslim-majority nation over Adams' views on Islam and support for Israel's military campaign in Gaza, among other sensitive topics.
No date is set for the Senate vote, but Adams is expected to be approved, with the Republican-held Senate green-lighting every Trump nominee since he became president in January.
Adams, a naturalised U.S. citizen originally from Australia, has an outsized persona on social media and is known for his appeal among young males in the "manosphere", an online space for men's issues. He lists interests including a love for hot dogs, steak, muscle cars, and restaurant chain Hooters, where servers wear revealing uniforms.
In posts on online platform X, Adams has railed against alleged efforts to "teach Islam in schools" and described those expressing solidarity with Palestinians as supporters of terrorism.
The posts have sparked outrage in Malaysia, which has a majority of mostly Muslim ethnic Malays alongside significant ethnic Chinese and ethnic Indian minorities of other faiths. Malaysia has also long supported the Palestinian cause, with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim rejecting what he described as Western pressure to condemn Palestinian militant group Hamas.
The youth wing of Anwar's People's Justice Party said this week it would submit a memorandum of protest to the U.S. embassy in Kuala Lumpur against Adams' proposed appointment as envoy, adding any rejection "should not be misconstrued as hostility but rather seen as a necessary measure to safeguard the integrity of bilateral relations."
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Mohamed Sukri Omar, a member of Islamic opposition party PAS, said in a statement the appointment would be "an open insult towards the sensitivities of the Malaysian people," while a group representing 20 pro-Palestine organisations in Malaysia urged the government to reject Adams.
Malaysian government spokesperson Fahmi Fadzil said on Tuesday Adams' appointment had not yet been raised in cabinet, which has the authority to accept new diplomatic appointments.
Shahriman Lockman of Malaysia's Institute of Strategic and International Studies, said protests from Muslim groups and ruling bloc allies could be too politically costly for Anwar's government to ignore, although Adams may be a useful conduit during trade talks due to his perceived closeness to Trump.
Refusing Adams could also provoke retaliation from Trump at a time when Malaysia faces pressure to make trade concessions in exchange for lowering a potentially hefty 25% U.S. tariff, he said.
"There's no elegant solution here. It's damned if you do, damned if you don't," Shahriman said.
Adams' office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In an X post on July 10, he thanked Trump for the nomination, describing it as "the honour of a lifetime". Trump described Adams on Truth Social as "an incredible Patriot and very successful entrepreneur, whose love of, and devotion to, our Great Country is an inspiration."
When contacted for comment, the U.S. embassy in Kuala Lumpur pointed to remarks made by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a visit to Malaysia last week. Rubio said he supported Adams' nomination and looked forward to his confirmation.
'TONE MATTERS'
Former diplomats say Malaysia was unlikely to reject Adams' appointment outright, but could make its objections known through informal channels or by delaying its approval.
"That would send a subtle but clear diplomatic signal: we value the bilateral relationship, but we also expect a standard of decorum, cultural sensitivity, and respect appropriate to such a posting," said Ilango Karuppannan, a retired former Malaysian ambassador who was once deputy chief of mission in Washington.
While concerns over Adams' appointment were unlikely to have a direct impact on trade negotiations, "the broader tone of the bilateral relationship always matters," he said.
"A smooth, professional handling of this nomination can help ensure those trade discussions stay on track, while an avoidable public clash might risk unnecessary complications," Karuppannan said.
Former Malaysia Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah, a member of the largely ethnic Malay opposition bloc Perikatan Nasional, said Malaysia should stand firm in upholding its values despite Adams' relationship with Trump.
"Yes it would be good to have a U.S. ambassador who is very close to Trump... but you cannot compromise on certain principles," he said.
Tricia Yeoh, an associate professor at the University of Nottingham Malaysia, said Adams' success as envoy would be highly dependent on his ability to win the trust of Malaysia's political and policy leadership.
"If the comments he has previously made on social media are accurate depictions of his position on sociopolitical matters, he might find it challenging to do so, especially if he intends to make these positions publicly and explicitly known," she said. REUTERS