Ambassador: Trump Policies Not Likely to Impact Caribbean-U.S. Security Cooperation

Basseterre, St. Kitts — The region can expect continued cooperation with the United States under the Trump administration in the area of security, Bridgetown-based U.S. Ambassador Linda Taglialatela says.

She was responding to questions about the likelihood of U.S. relations with the Caribbean changing because of the policies of President Donald Trump.

“I think it’s been very clear that Mr. Trump and his administration have been highly supportive of security and because of the security ramifications with the Caribbean and the fact that we consider them our third border, there is always going to be an engagement with the Caribbean,” Taglialatela said. “There may be some shifts in some of the programs that we do here in the Caribbean, but for the most part, we will continue to maintain and sustain a relationship with the Caribbean nations.”

On the issue of climate change and deportation, for example, WINN asked how much room is there for common ground on those and other differences?

“I think that, in those cases, we’ll have to see how the administration moves forward. Mr. Trump has talked about the fact that climate change is less important and it may impact on exactly what we’re doing in the Caribbean, but it’ll be something we’ll continue to monitor and provide assistance as we can,” the ambassador said.

Some of Trump’s critics have suggested that his “make America great again” is a code for “making America white again.”