Malaysians cheer as US drops ‘alpha male’ ambassador pick Nick Adams

The news rippled through Malaysian social media with something close to glee. Nick Adams, the Australian-born, self-described “alpha male” whom US President Donald Trump had nominated as ambassador to Kuala Lumpur, was not coming after all. “They do listen sometimes,” said Muhammad Izuan Ahmad Kasim, a youth leader from the People’s Justice Party who had been among the dozens who marched to the US embassy last July demanding Washington reconsider the appointment. Adams himself offered a very... AdvertisementMalaysiaThis Week in AsiaPeopleMalaysians cheer as US drops ‘alpha male’ ambassador pick Nick AdamsHe boasted about eating rare steaks and reading the Bible daily, but the combative US envoy pick proved too tough for Malaysia to swallowReading Time:3 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPIman Muttaqin YusofPublished: 12:15pm, 25 Feb 2026The news rippled through Malaysian social media with something close to glee.Nick Adams, the Australian-born, self-described “alpha male” whom US President Donald Trump had nominated as ambassador to Kuala Lumpur, was not coming after all.“They do listen sometimes,” said Muhammad Izuan Ahmad Kasim, a youth leader from the People’s Justice Party who had been among the dozens who marched to the US embassy last July demanding Washington reconsider the appointment.AdvertisementAdams himself offered a very different gloss, insisting to The Sydney Morning Herald that he had not been passed over but elevated.“I’ve been promoted from the role of ambassador!” he wrote in a message quoted by regional media, adding that more details would come “this coming week”. A review of public US Senate records by This Week in Asia showed that Adams’ nomination to Malaysia was returned to the president on January 3 under Senate Rule XXXI, paragraph 6, meaning it was no longer before the Senate for confirmation.AdvertisementSelect VoiceSelect Speed0.8x0.9x1.0x1.1x1.2x1.5x1.75x00:0000:001.00x