Election Day is less than two-weeks away, but there’s enough information to goon so far, on what a Trump or Clinton presidency might look like for American Samoa.
Our Washington D.C. correspondent Matt Kaye has been analyzing how the territory would fare under either President Hillary Clinton or President Donald Trump.
“Recent history shows that most of the key decisions affecting American Samoa and the other US islands will be made below the secretary-level at the Interior Department and other agencies.
“But former Interior officials say there could be some effort to boost existing island communication with the White House.
“Donald Trump has proposed a special assistant on the territories. And that would be something new.
“The White House has had liaisons to governors, but they’ve been to all governors, not just territorial governors.
“It would break precedent, if there were an assistant in the White House who had specific responsibilities for the territories.
“Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has not been as specific, but does have experience with the islands.
“She was the first Secretary of State to participate in a Pacific island summit
“Clinton also made two stops in Guam in the late 90s, during trips to Asia, once with her husband and former President Bill Clinton.
She also made a stop over in American Samoa.
Both Clinton and Trump, backed by their respective parties in American Samoa, hold similar positions on ending automatic defense and domestic spending cuts, or sequestration.
And the islands continue to seek more favorable reimbursement terms for Medicare and Medicaid expenses.
But it’s questionable if bipartisan cooperation on spending will improve or worsen, after the election.
And regardless of who wins the White House, it will still take bipartisan compromise to address island issues, especially if different parties control the House and White House.
