It’s safe to say that almost everyone in developing or developed countries knows about American President Donald Trump, and even some of his stances on policies. As one of the most powerful people in the world, Trump has massive influence on human and financial resources, as well as world events. The people of the Caribbean recognize Trump’s influence over them, as there is some sort of article focusing on Trump on every major Caribbean news website. Surprisingly, a good amount of the articles are positive, and express a hopeful view of the future. Instead of immediately writing him off as the enemy, the Caribbean people are seemingly giving Trump time to change his ideas about certain policies he had campaigned on, in favor of adopting policies that would positively impact the people of the Caribbean.
The article, “The World at the Mercy of Donald Trump,” it explores how the symptoms of Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) “fits businessman Trump and President Trump like a glove.” It discusses the issues that Caribbeans are most concerned about, including climate change, the proliferation of nuclear arms, and women’s rights and the rights of other oppressed groups. The article ends on a positive note, by saying, “Donald Trump can achieve great things for the United States and for the world. He just needs to reset his priorities and put his huge ego and desire to conquer insurmountable odds to work for the good of mankind.”
In relation to climate change, which is a very important topic to the Caribbean people because of the natural disasters that it causes to the small developing islands, as well as the predicted flooding that will happen when it reaches 2oC before pre-industrialization times. While Trump has expressed his desire to pull out of the Paris Deal, which sets out a global action plan to put the world on track to avoid dangerous climate change by limiting global warming. The small island developing countries in the Caribbean have a mantra, “1.5 to stay alive,” which refers to their desire to limit climate change to 1.5oC above pre-industrialization temperatures. Consumers in St. Vincent and the Grenadines have started paying a 1% “Disaster Levy” on consumption within the country that will go to the Contingencies Fund to help offset the cost of responding to natural disasters. Days after Trump’s inauguration, the White House ordered the EPA to delete a page about climate change from its website. Trump also intends to cut the budget of NOAA, the U.S.’s leading climate change agency by 17%. Overall, this article from the Caribbean New Service is skeptical about what Trump is going to do in terms of climate change, it is not condemning Trump yet in hope that he will adopt more policies in favor of helping climate change.
By far, the most positive article out of the few that I chose to talk about was Caribbean News Now’s article titled, “Trump May Be Doing Something Amazing for the Caribbean.” While it takes on a sarcastic tone inspired by British comedian John Oliver’s quote that Trump “…sometimes out of sheer coincidence he happens to do something amazing.” The amazing thing that Trump may be doing for the Caribbean is “draining the swamp” of some of the civil servants of who have not served the Caribbean region well at all by cutting funds in the State Department. The most recent example of these career civil servants not serving the Caribbean is the recent International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs 2017 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report. It is hypothesized that the State Department’s assertions that Antigua and Barbuda operates a citizenship by investment program that is “among the most lax in the world,” which “increases its susceptibility to money laundering and other financial crimes” in the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs 2017 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report is due to spitefulness and retaliation for Antigua’s recent efforts to enforce the World Trade Organization’s ruling and award to grant the U.S. in relation to online gaming. The U.S. Embassy in Bridgetown had made it known to the government that the embassy would “discontinue doing due diligence” on applicants for Antigua and Barbuda’s citizenship by investment program.
Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams
Some of the articles are less positive in their outlook of the future when it comes to President Donald Trump. Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams has expressed his distaste of Trump’s budget in the article on Caribbean Life News called “Adams: Trump’s Budget is ‘Purely Irresponsible.’” He says that the budget proposal is “not liberal or conservative; it’s purely irresponsible.” He claims that the White House is calling for gutting of agencies that perform critical services for all Americans. He urges all Brooklynites to “organize against this dangerous plan and ensure Washington hears loudly and clearly what we expect from a responsible government, regardless of what political party is in power.”
I was surprised by the reaction of the Caribbean news sites toward Donald Trump. As someone who has not particularly made minorities or non-U.S. countries his target audience, I had expected the Caribbean news sites to have taken an extreme disliking to Trump. However, the articles had a hopeful feel overall. It seemed that they were waiting for Donald Trump to make more moves on policy before deciding whether he was their enemy or their ally. While Trump had campaigned on ideals that were vastly different from the majority of the Caribbean people’s ideals, they seem to have kept an open mind to the kinds of actions he will take as the President of the United States. I had expected all of the Caribbean news articles to represent sentiments more similar to Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams’ sentiments. However, the Caribbean people seem to have held off on making immediate judgements of Trump’s future as the President of the United States.
Sources
http://www.caribbeannewsnow.com/topstory-Trump-may-be-doing-something-amazing-for-the-Caribbean-33847.html
http://www.caribbeanlifenews.com/stories/2017/3/2017-03-24-nk-adams-blasts-trumps-budget-plan-cl.html
June 29, 2021 at 4:10 am
People may see his action as an ally or enemy but I think Donald Trump only did the right thing in every situation. Being a leader of the most powerful and influential country, every decision is vital for both countries.
November 25, 2022 at 6:41 am
Donald Trump is a friend of the Caribbean and has pledged to help improve the region’s economy. Trump has said that he is looking to increase tourism to the Caribbean and has pledged to work with the region to improve air quality and create jobs.
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