Former Presbyterian moderator Rev Daniel Teelucksingh: “US media reported Trump took the oath of office on (one of two) bibles his mother gave him for Sunday school in his Presbyterian church. The Presbyterian Church is one of the major denominations in the USA. One of the distinctive features of Presbyterian-ism is its emphasis that things be done in an orderly and disciplined manner. If this influences Trump’s policies, then in various matters he’ll be well-guided. But his administration will not hurt T&T’s more than the present scourge of criminal violence in our society.”
Opposition MP Ganga Singh: “Trump revolutionised American politics. While you may not agree with his policies, you must admire his capacity for engineering his victory in almost insurmountable odds. I regard him as a political genius in that regard. He gives credence to the statement ‘one man with an idea is a majority’.”
Trade Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon: “The sentence in Mr Trump’s inaugural speech about ‘hire American and buy American’ isn’t enough to assess what this will mean for T&T. We have to wait and ascertain more.”
Islamic front leader Umar Abdullah :“His speech shows the entire world he’s going to do exactly what he said during his election campaign. For that, we have to be cautious in how he follows through on his rhetoric and as well as T&T following the dictates of America regarding Muslims practising their religion.”
Former UNC minister Mervyn Assam: “When President Trump dealt with us on staging the 1999 Miss Universe show in T&T, he had a good experience. But the PNM then- including Dr (Keith) Rowley was very caustic about it. If they explored further opportunities with the US based on that advantage, they may be successful. But I don’t think Trump’s administration would interfere with Caricom trade relations since a major (CBI) agreement is extended to 2025. But energy exports could be affected due to commercialisation of US exports including US shale.”
T&T born, Washington resident Dr Winston Smith, “I kept far from the inauguration venue since the atmosphere is very tense due to the numbers of people planning to protest and the numbers of pro-Trump supporters planning to demonstrate to counter the anti-Trump groups. Some Trinis here are having house limes, but the atmosphere is quite the opposite of the 2009 Obama inauguration. People aren’t accustomed to the Trump rhetoric and other actions - but to each his own.”
Former US Embassy (political section chief ) Randy Depoo, resident in TT: “Trump is a brilliant tactician. To have come from the sidelines and become US President. He defied conventional wisdom - that you don’t win the Presidency without the Black and Hispanic vote - and he brought out the latent white vote who’d never have come out.”