In the letter, St Pier congratulated Trump on his “historic victory” following what was “clearly a long, hard fought and bitter campaign”.
He also wished Trump “every success in his important task and his commitment to heal the wounds of a divided nation”.
Guernsey-US ties
The chief minister “noted the support offered to the president-elect during the election by Guernsey County, OH” which, he said, was named by settlers from the Channel Island.
He also made reference to US folk hero Paul Revere, “whose father lived for a time in Guernsey after fleeing the persecution of the Huguenots in France”.
Later settling in Boston, “his son would become a famous industrialist and patriot, best known for alerting the militia to the approach of British forces before the battles of Lexington and Concord”, St Pier wrote.
Guernsey’s international role
The chief minister emphasised the “long and highly constructive working relationships” Guernsey has had with “relevant agencies” in the US, such as the Department of Justice and the Treasury.
He also referenced existing agreements on the exchange of tax information and the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (Fatca).
St Pier added that, despite its comparatively small size, Guernsey plays a “vital function in international capital markets, ensuring the free flow of capital, which will play an important role in the growth of the US economy” during Trump’s term in office.
Potato peel pie society
Included with the letter to the US ambassador, was a copy of the book ‘The Guernsey literary and potato peel pie society’, which was dedicated as a gift to Trump.
The book, St Pier explained, is a fictional story set during the Nazi occupation of Guernsey.
“With the nations of Europe, we have a debt of gratitude for our liberation on 9 May 1945 to the bravery of Allied Forces including, of course, those of the United Kingdom and their stalwart allies, the United States.”
