Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has defended her support for US President Donald Trump following Republican setbacks in the American midterm elections, telling the Trinidad Express that the results would neither damage her Government politically nor weaken relations with Washington. In an interview reported by the newspaper, Persad-Bissessar rejected the suggestion that her administration’s close alignment with Trump could affect the electoral fortunes of the United National Congress. She maintained that American midterm results do not determine voting patterns in Trinidad and Tobago. The Prime Minister attributed the Republican losses to pressures on American household budgets. In her assessment, the war in Iran and its effects on fuel prices and the cost of living were central to voters’ decisions. Those explanations were her interpretation of the election outcome. Persad-Bissessar also said cooperation between Trinidad and Tobago and the United States would continue despite changes in the American political landscape. She described the bilateral relationship as strong and argued that established government structures allow the two countries to work together regardless of which parties hold office. The Express questioned whether a stronger Democratic presence in Congress could leave Trinidad and Tobago diplomatically exposed because of her support for Trump. The Prime Minister rejected that concern, saying the American state pursues its interests regardless of party control and views her Government as a dependable ally. Her defence comes amid criticism of the implications of closer alignment with Washington for Trinidad and Tobago’s diplomatic independence and relationships with Caribbean Community partners, according to the report. The administration has emphasised cooperation with the United States on national security, energy and regional foreign policy. Asked about Venezuela, Cuba and the wider Caribbean, Persad-Bissessar argued that US policy had shown continuity across successive administrations. She said Trinidad and Tobago should similarly place its own national interests first when managing its international relationships. The Prime Minister also expressed confidence that American investment, energy partnerships, trade and security assistance would withstand the congressional changes. She pointed to the private-sector basis of much US investment in Trinidad and Tobago and said she expected security and trade cooperation to continue normally. Those assurances set out the Government’s position following the election results. Persad-Bissessar’s central argument was that the relationship with Washington rests on continuing national interests and institutional cooperation, which she expects to endure through changes in American party fortunes.