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NMI now has chance to get key Trump posts
The CNMI is in a good position to get key posts in the administration of President-elect Donald J. Trump because of Gov. Ralph DLG Torres’ position as co-chair of the Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Advisory Committee. Guam Gov. Eddie B. Calvo is Torres’ co-chair.
The Assistant Secretary for Insular Areas and Special Assistant to the President for Territories and Commonwealths are two other positions that a person from the CNMI could be appointed that would improve its chances of raising issues and other concerns that would have a direct impact on the Commonwealth.
Trump nominating Elaine Chao to head the Department of Transportation also increases the chances of someone from the CNMI to be appointed. Chao, who was Labor secretary during the two terms of President George W. Bush, is a member of the AAPI advisory committee.
Someone from American Samoa, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Hawaii—before its statehood—had already been appointed to the Assistant Secretary for Insular Affairs position but no one from the CNMI since it became a Commonwealth in 1978.
David Cohen is from American Samoa while Tony Babauta and Esther Kia’aina, the outgoing Assistant Secretary, are both from Guam.
The Office of Insular Affairs is responsible for administration of U.S. commonwealths, island possessions, and territories. They also oversee the freely associated status of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, and Palau.
Puerto Rico, although a commonwealth and an unincorporated U.S. territory, is not under the OIA jurisdiction but has the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration that coordinates with the Office of the Deputy Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Affairs.
The Assistant Secretary for Insular Areas and Special Assistant to the President for Territories and Commonwealths must have a wide knowledge and understands the issues that affect the Pacific.
A Republican-controlled leadership would also help the CNMI’s cause since the Commonwealth was the only territory that supported the nomination and campaign of Trump and Gov. Mike Pence, who is now the Vice President-elect. (Jon Perez)
