Trump Appoints “Alpha Male” Twitter Troll U.S. Ambassador?!

Summary

Podcast Summary: Bulwark Takes – "Trump Appoints 'Alpha Male' Twitter Troll U.S. Ambassador?!"

Release Date: July 11, 2025
Host: Sonny Bunch
Guest: Will Sommer

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Introduction

In this episode of Bulwark Takes, culture editor Sonny Bunch invites Will Sommer, an expert on misinformation and foreign influence, to discuss what has been hailed as one of the most unconventional ambassadorial appointments in recent memory. The topic centers around Nick Adams, a self-proclaimed "alpha male" and prolific Twitter personality, recently appointed by former President Donald Trump as the U.S. Ambassador to Malaysia.

Nick Adams: A Twitter Persona Turned Diplomat

Sonny Bunch opens the discussion by expressing his astonishment at the appointment:

"There's a lot of options to choose from here, but I think probably the craziest ambassadorial pick that I can remember, certainly in recent memory." [00:56]

Will Sommer describes Adams as:

"Twitter power user, Trump slavish devotee, and self-proclaimed alpha male." [00:56]

Nick Adams himself introduces his role with a blend of humor and bravado:

"Duty has called me to serve my country overseas. Not in the uniform of combat, but armed with the pen of diplomacy." [01:05]

Adams' Public Persona and Twitter Activity

Sonny remarks on Adams' online behavior, questioning whether his exaggerated "alpha male" antics are genuine or performative:

"I always thought he was doing a bit like kind of a… Like a big, like, burly man. He's an Australian guy… So he talks in a big Australian accent. He's a burly guy." [02:30]

Will Sommer adds that Adams' portrayal aligns closely with certain pop culture archetypes, likening him to a "child's idea of an alpha" and comparing him to figures like Andrew Tate, albeit less malevolent:

"Nick Adams doesn’t seem quite as evil, but he does, I mean, he speaks very unpleasantly about women, I would say in a bit more of a jokey tone." [03:40]

Background and Credentials

When questioned about Adams' qualifications for the ambassadorial role, Sonny expresses skepticism:

"What is the diplomatic background that he's…?" [02:55]

Will Sommer elaborates on Adams' seemingly tenuous credentials:

"Trump, in the first administration, appointed him to the board of the Wilson center, which is like a foreign affairs operation. And so I guess he has, like, some claim to foreign policy credibility there." [03:03]

He further details Adams' political history in Australia, highlighting an incident that underscores his Trump's-esque approach to leadership:

"He said, we've got to kill every pigeon in town… He poured out all the bird feed around the press conference before it started. So then the pigeons were everywhere… his pursuit of sort of MAGA stardom in the United States appears to have cost him whatever political career he had in Australia." [03:40]

Implications of the Appointment

Sonny uses humor to underscore the absurdity of the appointment, suggesting it’s a reflection of contemporary political dynamics:

"Let that be a lesson to everyone out there. Never give up on your dreams. Always keep posting and eventually, eventually it'll pay off." [05:43]

He further questions the strategic value of appointing Adams to a country like Malaysia:

"Malaysia is not obviously the most important strategic alliance with the United States… What should we expect from the… diplomatic realm with Malaysia going forward here?" [05:43]

Will Sommer speculates on the potential reception in Malaysia, comparing Adams to a fictional character:

"It's like if we sent Johnny Bravo overseas as a diplomatic mission." [07:10]

Reception and Public Reaction

The hosts discuss the broader societal implications of such appointments, touching upon the blurring lines between online personas and real-world roles:

Sonny reflects on the erosion of the distinction between online and offline identities:

"We used to say the Internet is not real life. We used to say the Internet is not the real world. And that is just not the case anymore." [04:17]

Will Sommer emphasizes the shift in how digital behavior can influence significant political appointments:

"This is a guy who has posted his way into being an ambassador." [04:17]

He also notes the divisive nature of Adams' content, which resonates with certain MAGA supporters while alienating others:

"He resonates with a certain audience. It seems like a lot of MAGA guys appear to take him as sort of a mascot or kind of this cartoon character." [09:35]

Cultural Reflections and Final Thoughts

In a lighthearted exchange, Sonny muses about the surreal nature of the appointment, introducing the concept of "kayfabe" from professional wrestling to illustrate the blend of reality and performance in Adams' role:

"Kayfabe is a pretty good way of understanding… who is being serious and who isn't…" [08:41]

Will Sommer shares his bewilderment and strategic reflections, recognizing the complex interplay between online personas and traditional diplomatic roles:

"It's a lot to take in. Do you mind if I saved a couple things I wanted to discuss here, please?" [09:35]

Sonny concludes by emphasizing the importance of staying informed about such developments and their implications on the socio-political landscape:

"You can't understand what's happening in Washington, D.C. if you're not keeping track of the online. Right. Because while once again, the Internet has crept up on real life in a way that should make all of us very sad." [10:19]

Key Takeaways

• Unconventional Appointment: Nick Adams, a Twitter personality with an "alpha male" persona, has been appointed as the U.S. Ambassador to Malaysia, raising questions about his qualifications and suitability for the role.

• Online Persona Influence: Adams' rise to a diplomatic position underscores the increasing impact of online behavior and social media personas on real-world political appointments.

• Public and Diplomatic Implications: The appointment may affect U.S.-Malaysia relations, potentially presenting challenges in diplomatic effectiveness and international perceptions.

• Cultural Reflection: The episode highlights the blurred lines between internet culture and traditional governance, reflecting broader societal shifts in how leadership and credibility are perceived.

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Resources Mentioned:

• Will Sommer's Newsletter: False Flag – Explore in-depth analyses on misinformation and political developments. Subscribe at thebulwark.com.

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This summary encapsulates the key discussions from the "Bulwark Takes" episode on Nick Adams' ambassadorial appointment, providing insights into the intersection of social media influence and diplomatic roles.

Transcript

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[Sonny Bunch]

No purchase necessary VGW Group void where prohibited by law 21/ terms and conditions apply. Welcome back to the Bulwark. I am Sonny Bunch. I'm the culture editor at the Bulwark. I'm very pleased to be joined today by Will Sommer to talk about what is possibly the craziest, you know, we're using. There's a lot of options to choose from here, but I think probably the craziest ambassadorial pick that I can remember, certainly in recent memory. Will, who is the new ambassador to Malaysia?

[Will Sommer]

He. He is, I guess, Twitter power user Trump slavish devotee and self proclaimed alpha male. Nick Adams.

[Nick Adams]

Duty has called me to serve my country overseas. Not in the uniform of combat, but armed with the pen of diplomacy.

[Sonny Bunch]

I don't know anything about Nick Adams besides what I see on Twitter, right? And on Twitter, he has this kind of Persona. And as being a true alpha male, you know, he tweets about going to Hooters and having wings for dinner because that's what a real man eats for food. I always thought this was a bit. I always thought he was doing a bit like kind of a. Kind of a parody, but not really like an earnest parody. Is that not the case?

[Will Sommer]

Well, I mean, I think it is a bit, but one that he also seems to believe in. I mean, he's kind of for folks who aren't aware of this guy. And this is truly, I feel both a sense of amusement because it's really not that big a problem, I guess, but also a sense of dread that this is where the country's at. And like, even all the news we've seen from this administration the past five months or so, I saw this and I just thought, oh, no, this is bad. So basically, if people aren't aware of this guy, this is a guy who goes on Twitter and kind of has, you know, he does lectures and whatever, and he's almost like a child's idea of an alpha, like, just like a big, like, burly man. He's an Australian guy, you know, became a citizen, I think, four years ago or so. A citizen of the United States. So he talks in a big Australian accent. He's a burly guy. He says things like, oh, I want to go to Hooters with me mate.

[Sonny Bunch]

So just give me the morning. For an alpha male, you want to.

[Nick Adams]

Eat as much steak and as many eggs as possible, indefinitely. You are plunging without a shadow of a doubt. Alphas go in the birthday suit. They plunge me.

[Will Sommer]

Girlfriend won't let me go golfing today. And so he's. That's his deal. And you might say, well, I missed the part about where he's a, you know, an experienced diplomat or he's an expert on Malaysia. I did.

[Sonny Bunch]

I did miss that, actually. I. Could you explain to me his background here? What's the. What is the diplomatic background that he's.

[Will Sommer]

Because, I mean, look, I know these political appointees are often big campaign donors, people who get these ambassador jobs, but this is really wild. Trump, in the first administration, appointed him to the board of the Wilson center, which is like a foreign affairs operation. And so I guess he has, like, some. Some claim to foreign policy credibility there. And, and, you know, there's a Washington Post profile of him last year that said he took that apparently relatively seriously. But this is a truly bizarre character. He's kind of like a. Like a less malignant Andrew Tate in terms of his talk about, like, being a man, stuff like that. If you imagine. I mean, that's. That's who Trump now has made the ambassador.

[Sonny Bunch]

That's an interesting way of phrasing it, like, like a less malignant Andrew Tate, because again, I, I always thought that this was kind of a. You know, people have characters on Twitter, you know, and, and, and sometimes they're just exaggerations of things they actually believe. You know, sometimes they're. They're full put ons. I always thought this was closer to the. The full put on range of the spectrum, but I, I guess not. It does also raise a very troubling truth about our time, which is that, you know, we used to say the Internet is not real life. We used to say the Internet is not the real world. And that is just not the case anymore.

[Will Sommer]

Yeah, that's exactly. I mean, this is a guy who has posted his way into being an ambassador. I mean, his. He has this devotion to Trump. He would say Trump is the ultimate alpha male.

[Nick Adams]

Donald Trump is an alpha lion.

[Will Sommer]

And through that, he has sort of worked his way in. I mean, this is a. Can I just get into his backstory here? I mean, this is a guy, He's a Very like kind of a very Trumpian figure. And again, comparing him to Trump or two, Andrew Tate is like a little unfair to Nick Adams because he, he doesn't seem quite as evil, you know, perhaps I shouldn't say evil, but like quite as nasty of a fellow. But he does, I mean, he speaks very unpleasantly about women, I would say in a bit more of a jokey tone. But his, his origin story is that he was in his early 20s when he became the deputy mayor of a town in Australia. And he did these very kind of Trumpian publicity, kind of like 80s Trump things where. So the avian flu was going around and he said, we've got to kill every pigeon in town. And then he had a press conference and there were no pigeons around. So he said, oh my gosh, I gotta run into this bird feed store. And he poured out all the bird feed around the press conference before it started. So then the pigeons were everywhere and people were like, well, maybe we do have a pigeon problem. They're really all over the place. And so ultimately, his pursuit of sort of MAGA stardom in the United States appears to have cost him whatever political career he had in Australia. But, you know, he seems to be doing well for himself. Obviously. He is, he's now going to be the ambassador. I mean, he's, it truly is a guy who just posted relentlessly and now he's here.

[Sonny Bunch]

Let that be a lesson to everyone out there. Never give up on your dreams. Always keep posting and eventually, eventually it'll pay off. You know, we should. Look, Malaysia is not obviously the most important strategic alliance with the United States. You know, it's not a small country, but it's not enormous either. What, what should we expect from the, the. Whatever the Malaysian Court of St James is. I don't even know what the.

[Will Sommer]

I don't know what you call.

[Sonny Bunch]

I don't know what you call it. What should we expect in the diplomatic, in the diplomatic realm with Malaysia going forward here?

[Will Sommer]

Well, you know, it's funny you mentioned that he seems to be playing a character or what have you, because he put out this video. People became aware of this because he put out a video today that looks very stately and saying, you know, citizenship calls people to different roles. And I have been called to foreign service, and now I'm off to Malaysia. You know, I think a lot of people thought it was a joke, but then the White House, you know, put out a statement saying it was real. So one wonders how much does Trump think, because this guy is Australian, that You know, Malaysia is relatively close to Australia, so we should send him over there. I mean, I will say the current ambassador is like an actual diplomat. It's a guy like a longtime foreign service staffer who speaks many languages, stuff like this. So it's an interesting thing. I mean, he's. One wonders as well how the Malaysians will take him. You know, in a way, it would be sort of like if we sound like Johnny Bravo to your country. You know, he's always like, you know, I mean, he's very similar to that.

[Sonny Bunch]

Sure. Sending Johnny Bravo overseas as a diplomatic mission is. That should be a series that should. That. Actually you're pitching. You're pitching something great here. I guess my final question. Question. And I don't. Maybe you don't know this because you don't. You're not an expert on Malaysian cuisine or the restaurant scene there. Is there a Hooters in Malaysia for him to have food at?

[Will Sommer]

Since that's a great question, you know. Yeah, let's get into. I mean, the whole Hooters thing. I mean, he does seem very like he. He reminds me in some ways of Jacob Wohl, if people remember that, that right wing provocateur. He's very into these sort of like trademark bits and, and into telling stories that no one could possibly believe. Like he. He has this one, he tells this reporter for the Washington Post. He says something along the lines of like, busty, highly educated Latinas. And then we went to the gym and I busted out a new personal record on the bench. Everyone was cheering all this stuff. And then when the report. And you know, the. The Latinos were cheering me on. And then the reporter says, well, like, could I contact them? What are their names? He says, oh, I can't expose them to the fake news, all this stuff. He's also someone who I think enjoys baiting people. And you know, as much of his engagement, I think perhaps most of it came from people just, you know, oh, I hate this guy, this idiot. You know, he doesn't get it. And, you know, he seems to at least get some of it. I mean, he's always saying, you know, let me. He, he. In terms of golf, he'll say, you know, my girlfriend, I don't want her bothering me when I'm having a foursome with the boys. And people say, a foursome, you know, what's this guy talking about?

[Sonny Bunch]

I just keep coming back to the idea of kayfabe. You know, this is a favored. It's an old professional wrestling term. Jbl, Jonathan V. Last at the Bulwark uses it a lot. And I think it's a pretty good way of understanding, you know, who, who is being serious and who isn't at any given moment and who considers himself, you know, a quote, smart mark and can see through the kayfabe and who can't. And I always, I always just kind of assumed that this, this guy was, you know, partaking in that, Partaking in that on a, on a higher level. And I, I, it's, it's not clear to me if being, if doing the kayfabe is what got him the job or if nobody in the White House understands what's. I just, I can't, I can't fathom it. I can't fathom it. Will. It's. This has broken me. It's broken me in a way that even Mecca Hitler couldn't.

[Will Sommer]

It's a, It's a lot to take in. Do you mind if I saved a couple things I wanted to discuss here, please? Because this guy, he puts out so, so much content. You know, he wrote a book called Alpha Kings that explains some amount of his wealth. I guess he does a lot of these double entendres. So he says, you know, things like going to the butcher and he'll say, I love watching Mario handle my meat. And, you know, but people, for what it's worth, he, he resonates with a certain audience. It seems like a lot of MAGA guys appear to take him as a sort of like, like a mascot or like kind of this. Again, like a cartoon character.

[Sonny Bunch]

Yeah, well, we do. We live in cartoonish times, so that makes sense.

[Will Sommer]

So best of luck. Malaysia, don't. You know, maybe you guys can take him for a while.

[Sonny Bunch]

Yeah. Will, thanks for explaining the Nick Adams situation to us. Make sure you go sign up@the bulwark.com for Will's newsletter, False Flag. It's great. He goes into all sorts of stuff like this on a regular basis. You can't understand what's happening in Washington, D.C. if you're not keeping track of the online. Right. Because while once again, the Internet has crept up on real life in a way that should make all of us very sad.

[Will Sommer]

Yeah. Well, I'm going to get back to posting. I'm hopeful. I've got my eye on an embassy, the tropical locale.

[Sonny Bunch]

Excellent. Good luck.