US’s Singapore Envoy Is Said to Berate Staff, Waste Money

  • Inspector general recommends further probe of Jonathan Kaplan
  • Report says Kaplan had poor relationships with some ministers

Jonathan Kaplan

Photographer: Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call/Getty Images
Lock
This article is for subscribers only.

President Joe Biden’s ambassador to Singapore threatened staff, wasted money and poorly promoted US interests, according to an internal watchdog report released Friday.

The State Department’s inspector general said embassy employees interviewed as part of its regular review process “described a fear, and even direct threats, of reprisal” from Jonathan Kaplan, an entrepreneur and Democratic campaign donor who was confirmed as ambassador in late 2021.