Trump appoints Senior Advisor Cameron as representative on NMI consultations

The "promising" consultations between the Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. federal government will continue with Scott J. Cameron, senior advisor to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior, according to Gov. Arnold I. Palacios. The announcement comes as the NMI sees more businesses close their doors and more people losing their jobs. 

The NMI governor thanked Trump for approving his request to continue consultations regarding Section 902 of the Covenant between the CNMI and the U.S. Federal Government, saying they are focused on three areas: financial assistance initiatives that are discussed in Article 7 of the Covenant; tourism and transportation issues; and access to skilled labor in the CNMI. 

“In response to the request from the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) and pursuant to section 902 of the Covenant to Establish the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Political Union with the United States, I am pleased to inform you that I have designated Scott J. Cameron, Senior Advisor to the Secretary exercising the delegated authorities of the Assistant Secretary of the Interior (Insular and International Affairs), as my special representative for purposes of continuing the consultations that take place between the CNMI and the Federal Government,” Trump said in his letter to Palacios. “I trust that this section 902 consultation will be a vehicle for addressing the critical issues raised by the CNMI.”

Palacios, in 2024, invoked Section 902 of the Covenant to Establish the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Political Union with the United States of America in the hopes of getting assistance with financial challenges and also addressing policies that the local government says hampers the NMI’s efforts to restore its economy.

The 2024 request followed closures in the NMI's business industry including that of the Hyatt Regency Saipan. See Journal story: Palacios writes to Biden to open consultation on NMI-US Covenant; request follows news of Hyatt closure. At least one meeting was held with the Biden administration last year with the Biden administration before Trump was sworn in to office. Palacios said the discussions were "promising." 

And 2025 isn't off to a great start. See DFS Saipan to close doors and Third Saipan business shutters in March. Visitor arrival numbers peaked in 2017 with nearly 350,000 tourists. The slow decline following 2017 hurdled downward with the COVID pandemic. And while 2024 saw 228,963 arrivals, those have continued to fall this year. March 2025 had 13,981 visitors, a 27% from March 2024's 19,213. 

The Covenant outlines the rights, obligations, and relationship between the NMI and the United States and established the NMI as a self-governing Commonwealth of the United States. The agreement granted U.S. citizenship and applied certain federal laws with specific exemptions.
 
Section 902 of the Covenant, which was approved by the United States Congress (and subsequently U.S. President Gerald Ford) as U.S. Public Law 94-241, states that: “The Government of the United States and the Government of the Northern Mariana Islands will consult regularly on all matters affecting the relationship between them…the President of the United States and the Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands will designate special representatives to meet and to consider in good faith such issues affecting the relationship between the Northern Mariana Islands and the United States... Special representatives will be appointed in any event to consider and to make recommendations regarding future multi-year financial assistance to the Northern Mariana Islands pursuant to Section 701, to meet at least one year prior to the expiration of every period of such financial assistance.” mbj