Trump declines invitation for 250th anniversary of First Salute on Statia
ORANJESTAD – US President Donald Trump will not travel to Sint Eustatius on 16 November for the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the First Salute. King Willem-Alexander personally invited Trump, but according to the Dutch government, the American president’s schedule does not allow for a visit to Statia.
This is stated by State Secretary for Kingdom Relations Eric van der Burg in a letter of 2 October to the House of Representatives. The letter was published ahead of the debate on the Kingdom Relations budget.
According to Van der Burg, Trump indicated that he appreciates the invitation. In his response, the American president is also said to have expressed his appreciation for the historical ties between the Netherlands and the United States.
Who will represent the United States on Sint Eustatius instead has not yet been announced. According to the letter to parliament, the American ambassador plans to attend. King Willem-Alexander, the Dutch prime minister and Van der Burg will also attend the commemoration.
First Salute
At the heart of the event is the First Salute of 16 November 1776, an occurrence that holds a special place in the history of relations between the Netherlands and the United States.
On that day, the American ship Andrew Doria sailed into the harbour of Sint Eustatius and fired a salute. The salute was returned from Fort Oranje. The event is regarded as the first official salute by representatives of a foreign power to the flag of the rebellious American colonies.
As a result, little Sint Eustatius earned a prominent place in the origin story of the United States.
In 2026, it is exactly 250 years since the First Salute was fired.
Motion from 2018
The invitation to Trump stems from a motion that was already submitted in the House of Representatives in 2018 by then VVD member of parliament André Bosman and SP member of parliament Ronald van Raak.
They called on the Dutch government to mark the 250th anniversary of relations between the Netherlands and the United States and to invite the heads of state of both countries for the occasion.
The government has now carried out that request. Willem-Alexander approached Trump personally, but the American president declined the invitation because of his schedule.
Statia itself at the centre
According to the cabinet, the commemoration should not focus exclusively on the relationship between the Netherlands and the United States.
During Statia Day, extensive attention will also be paid to the history, identity and culture of Sint Eustatius itself.
This is relevant because the First Salute is part of a much broader history of the island. In the eighteenth century, Sint Eustatius was an important international colonial trading hub. The island’s economic prosperity was at the same time intertwined with colonialism and slavery.
The anniversary commemoration on 16 November thus takes on several historical layers: the American struggle for independence, the centuries-old ties between the Netherlands and the United States, and the colonial history of Sint Eustatius itself.
Who will ultimately represent the American government at the commemoration has yet to be announced.
