‘Not your typical pick’: Trump’s nominee for US ambassador to Malaysia raises eyebrows

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Controversial internet personality Nick Adams has been nominated as the next US ambassador to Malaysia.

PHOTO: NICK ADAMS/FACEBOOK

Summary

• Donald Trump nominated Nick Adams, a controversial figure with no formal diplomatic experience, as US ambassador to Malaysia, sparking mixed reactions.
• Mr Adams past comments on Islam and lack of policy expertise raise concerns about his suitability and potential impact on US-Malaysia relations.
• Despite concerns, analysts believe Malaysia will pragmatically engage with the US due to its economic importance, ruling out a shift towards China.

AI generated

KUALA LUMPUR – US President Donald Trump’s nomination of controversial internet personality Nick Adams as the next US ambassador to Malaysia has raised not only eyebrows but also questions about the fiery right-wing influencer’s suitability for the role and the state of relations between Washington and the Muslim-majority nation going forward.

While some observers expressed shock and dismay at Mr Trump’s pick, others looked to possible upsides, given Mr Adams’ seemingly close ties to the US leader.

Mr Adams, a 40-year-old naturalised US citizen originally from Australia, is known for his brash “alpha male” branding and bold presence on social media, detailing interests that include rare steaks and frequent visits to the Hooters restaurant chain where female servers don tight tops and short shorts. He has 625,000 followers on social media platform X and more than 60,000 on Instagram.

Having risen to prominence on a wave of machismo, misogyny and crass humour, Mr Adams’ controversial online history includes Islamophobic comments, denigrating Mr Trump’s political rivals as supporters of Islam and railing