The United States is seeking to deepen its relationship with the Caribbean, with Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau saying Washington’s ties with the region’s countries have not been as close as they should have been.
Speaking Monday at the reopening of the Ibis Steel Company in Trinidad and Tobago, Landau said the United States and Caribbean countries share strong geographic and historical connections and have significant opportunities to work together.
“I feel, I really do feel like this Prime Minister here in Trinidad today is really opening the door for a new vision of US-Caribbean relations that nobody has ever opened before,” Landau said, referring to Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.
“I am here to show that both sides are reaching out their hands of friendship,” he added.
Landau’s remarks came as the Trump administration seeks to strengthen its engagement with the Caribbean amid growing U.S. concerns over security, drug trafficking and China’s expanding economic presence in the region.
The deputy secretary of state said his presence at the reopening of the steel facility was “a sign of recognition and respect and appreciation” for the partnership between the United States and Trinidad and Tobago.
The Ibis Steel Company, a local subsidiary of U.S.-based Pinnacle Steel and Vanadium Corporation, occupies the site of the former ArcelorMittal steel mill, which closed in March 2016.
Landau said the plant represents the potential of closer economic ties between the United States and the Caribbean.
“It’s a great symbol of the renaissance that we have in our relationship and really the incredible opportunities in the future, not just for Trinidad, but really across the entire Caribbean region,” he said.
He added that the Trump administration, under President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, is refocusing on the region.
“I think it’s a region with huge economic opportunities. And it’s one, frankly, that, you know, the United States is refocused on this region under President Trump, under Secretary of State Marco Rubio,” Landau said.
Closer Trinidad-US ties
Since Persad-Bissessar’s United National Congress-led coalition won the April 28, 2025, general election, her government has pursued closer ties with Washington, including backing U.S. efforts to combat illegal drugs in the Caribbean.
In March, Persad-Bissessar joined Trump at the “Shield of the Americas” summit, where the president launched the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition to combat transnational crime in the region.
Last week, U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jim Risch publicly thanked Trinidad and Tobago for what he described as an “active role” in the arrest and extradition of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Persad-Bissessar has maintained, however, that Trinidad and Tobago’s military personnel were not involved in the Jan. 3 operation in Caracas. She declined to elaborate on Risch’s reference to an “active role,” saying reporters should direct that question to the U.S. senator.
In July, Persad-Bissessar said discussions with U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary Barbara Feinstein were focused on deepening cooperation between Trinidad and Tobago and the United States.
Landau said Persad-Bissessar, like Trump, campaigned on economic and security renewal.
“Those are both really important, critical objectives for both our governments. And so we are delighted to work together,” he said.
Landau is scheduled to hold talks with Persad-Bissessar before traveling to Guyana, where he is expected to meet with President Irfaan Ali.
China remains a factor
The push for closer U.S.-Caribbean relations comes as Washington has repeatedly raised concerns about China’s growing economic and infrastructure presence across the region.
Chinese companies and state-linked entities have invested in ports, telecommunications, construction and other major infrastructure projects in Caribbean countries, developments Washington views as a potential strategic and security challenge.
Landau emphasized the role of U.S. businesses in advancing Washington’s economic engagement with the region, arguing that private-sector investment is central to the American model of development.
“It’s not the government that has made the United States the leader of the free world. It’s our dynamic private sector,” he said.
He singled out Pinnacle as an example of the private sector’s role, saying the company and its employees could serve as “real ambassadors” for the United States in Trinidad and Tobago.
Landau’s comments come as other Caribbean leaders and former leaders have called for Washington to take a more collaborative approach to its regional relationships.
Last week, former Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding urged the United States to soften its approach toward Jamaica and rebuild what he described as a strong, decades-old relationship between the two countries.
Golding said some of Washington’s current demands were “at odds with the very essence of true friendship,” arguing that Caribbean countries are facing major challenges while established rules are increasingly being replaced by unilateral decisions.
Against that backdrop, Landau said the United States sees an opportunity for a new phase of cooperation with the Caribbean.
“The United States and the Caribbean countries seem to me to be united in many ways by geography, by history. There’s so much that we can do together,” he said.
caribbeannationalweekly.com
