The Trump Administration has finally got around to nominating someone to serve as Ambassador to Jamaica. For most readers, this is probably not significant news.
However, as I served there, and retain a deep affection for the island and the wider Caribbean, I’m interested. And wow… was I ever dismayed to see that the nominee is Kari Lake. She of longstanding election denialism…who has supported Trump’s false claim that he won the 2020 election and who then went on to refuse to acknowledge her own defeats when seeking election as Arizona governor and senator. She who supports right wing provocateurs such as Laura Loomer and Roger Stone. She who was given leadership of the US Agency for Global Media and proceeded to fire (illegally it was subsequently found) Voice of Americas staff.
MAGA loyalist’s nomination as US ambassador to Jamaica draws mixed reactions
Vanassa McKenzie, Jamaica Observer Online reporter,
May 15, 2026
The nomination of controversial political figure and former TV anchor Kari Lake Halperin as the next United States ambassador to Jamaica has drawn mixed reactions from local commentators over what the potential appointment could mean for the island’s relations with Washington.
read the rest of the article in the Jamaica Observer
The Jamaican reaction has been cautious, as it should be… they may have to live with her for a couple of years. And they will inevitably extend their hospitality to her, as they have done to all diplomats who serve in their country.
But, the reaction I have to say I like better is from Ann Applebaum in The Atlantic.
What Did Jamaica Do to Deserve This?
Kari Lake, Trump’s pick for ambassador, has a disastrous record.
May 12, 2026
Jamaica is a beautiful island with white beaches; a green, mountainous interior; and, despite its small size, one of the most recognizable cultures in the world. Jamaica has exported music, fashion, and food to the farthest corners of the planet. Bob Marley alone wrote songs that hundreds of millions of people would instantly recognize as Jamaican.
Jamaica also has a stable parliamentary democracy and excellent relations with its neighbors. The United States is the country’s largest trading partner. Some 3 million Americans visit the island every year, and hundreds of thousands of Jamaicans come to the United States. Jamaica and the United States, according to the State Department website, “maintain strong and productive relations, based on trust and mutual interest.”
Given all of that: What did Jamaica do to deserve Kari Lake?
Read the full article here.
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