SAIPAN — Congresswoman Kimberlyn King-Hinds, Gov. David M. Apatang, Senate President Karl King Nabors, and House Speaker Edmund Villagomez said they have sent joint letters to President Donald J. Trump and Adm. Samuel J. Paparo, commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, warning that accelerating economic deterioration in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands could carry direct implications for U.S. national security.
In a joint press release, the leaders said the CNMI’s economic condition has reached a point where further decline could undermine the civilian systems that support U.S. access, readiness, and long-term presence in the Indo-Pacific.
King-Hinds said the CNMI’s “small economic scale leaves little room for additional shocks,” adding that “stable communities, reliable infrastructure, and a functioning local economy are essential to sustained U.S. presence in the Pacific.”
Apatang said the situation is becoming more urgent, stating: “We are running out of time. Businesses are closing, people are leaving, and the effects are compounding.”
Nabors said U.S. strength in the Indo-Pacific relies not only on military assets, but also on the health of civilian communities that support them, and argued that allowing a U.S. jurisdiction of strategic importance to erode economically would weaken the foundation for long-term presence.
Villagomez said the effort is focused on preserving conditions that allow the United States to operate effectively in the region over time, adding that preventing systemic economic failure now “preserves options later.”
The leaders said the federal actions identified in their letters fall within existing authorities and would not require new appropriations, and that timely engagement could help prevent cascading failures across essential services, workforce stability, and infrastructure.
