President Trump, Ambassador Anderson talk tourism and trade in Jamaica

United States President Donald Trump says the relationship between America and Jamaica is rooted in more than six decades of friendship and shared interests in trade, investment, and security.

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Trump made the comments during a credentialing ceremony at the White House on Thursday, where Jamaica’s Ambassador to the United States, Major General (Ret’d) Antony Anderson, presented his Letters of Credence.

“It signifies more than 60 years of friendship between our nations and our enduring commitment to trade, investment, and security,” Trump said, underscoring strong support for Jamaica and the continued development of the “special relationship” between both countries.

He emphasized the United States’ interest in working with the Jamaican government on issues such as transnational crime, regional security—particularly through the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI)—and cooperation on Haiti.

“We see opportunities to work together on expanding trade and promoting more US investment into Jamaica, particularly in areas such as energy and tourism,” the President added.

Trump warmly welcomed Ambassador Anderson, stating, “Mr. Ambassador, I look forward to working with you to advance our common agenda and deepen the bonds between our countries. It is a pleasure to welcome you to Washington.”

In his remarks, Anderson conveyed greetings from the Government and people of Jamaica, noting that the two countries share a longstanding and valued friendship rooted in shared history, culture, people-to-people ties, and geographic proximity.

“Over the years, our cooperation at the bilateral and multilateral levels has grown steadily, yielding mutual benefits across several key sectors, particularly in security, health, and energy,” he said.

He went on to express appreciation for the United States’ support in strengthening Jamaica’s security institutions and promoting regional stability.

“Mr. President, Jamaica deeply appreciates our strong and enduring security partnership with the United States through the various cooperation mechanisms. This collaboration has been instrumental in strengthening our security capabilities and promoting regional stability,” Anderson said. “As Ambassador, I look forward to working closely with your administration to deepen and expand this critical partnership in pursuit of a safer and more secure Western Hemisphere.”

Anderson also highlighted the importance of deepening engagement in energy, trade, and investment, and noted the United States remains Jamaica’s most important trading partner. He added that a growing number of American tourists continue to visit the island.

The Ambassador pointed to a recent high-level visit by a senior US official as further evidence of strong ties.

“In March of this year, Jamaica had the distinct honour to welcome US Secretary of State the Honourable Marco Rubio. His visit underscored the strength of our bilateral relationship and reaffirmed the spirit of partnership that continues to guide our engagements,” he said.

The ceremony marked a significant step in the continued evolution of Jamaica-US diplomatic relations and affirmed both governments’ commitment to deepening cooperation across key sectors.