Who is Anji Sinha? Trump's ambassador pick for Singapore is a mystery, but the timing speaks volumes

Unlike Mr Trump's first term, when Singapore went without a US ambassador, this nomination came early. That Mr Trump nominated an ambassador to Singapore not even two months into his second term is a positive sign for the US-Singapore relationship.

The announcement also came just days after Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan's introductory phone call with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, where they reaffirmed the "strong and longstanding relationship" between the two countries.

An embassy can carry out most of its interactions with local agencies without the leadership of an ambassador. We saw this in the US Embassy in Singapore, which was run by two consecutive chargé d'affaires ad interim during Mr Trump's first term.

Yet, there is a significant gap between what a chargé and an ambassador can access and represent. An ambassador is seen as the personal representative of the president, giving them access to national leaders at a level that a chargé is unlikely to enjoy. That the nomination was made this early adds a welcome sense of urgency as well.

Starting the confirmation process early provides more time to address challenges that might emerge.

In 2017, Mr Trump nominated former Deputy National Security Advisor KT McFarland to be the ambassador to Singapore. However, the confirmation process in the Republican-held Senate was stalled due to concerns over her testimony during the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election. Ms McFarland ultimately withdrew her name from consideration in February 2018.

Republicans may once again be the majority in the Senate, but it is advisable to play it safe and get the confirmation process started early.