The U.S. government has come out in opposition to Guam and American Samoa – two U.S. territories – joining the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) .
“Because the United States is not a member of the PIF and because of the political nature and foreign policy aspects of the PIF,” U.S. government officials explained on a website that has apparently since been taken down, “the State Department’s position is that it is inappropriate for U.S. territories to participate in the PIF independently, in any capacity.”
“By way of background, the State Department does not agree to territories representing themselves in international foreign policy-making bodies given the constitutional principle that the federal government speaks for the United States with one voice overseas,” the statement continued.
Read the U.S. government’s statement
The PIF is a political and economic organization for Pacific islands. On its website, it lists “18 countries and territories” that it counts as its members: Australia, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati, Nauru, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. The U.S. federal government has prevented the U.S. territories of Guam and American Samoa from joining the organization.
Guam, American Samoa and the Northern Marianas currently have observer status in PIF. Guam applied for membership in 2022 and American Samoa did so in 2024.
Consistent position
In 2003, Puerto Rico attempted to arrange direct relationships with some foreign countries, including Belize. Colin Powell, then Secretary of State, stepped in and ended those attempts. “The department reiterates that the U.S. federal government is responsible for Puerto Rico’s foreign affairs,” Powell wrote at the time. “Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory of the United States with commonwealth status. The U.S. federal government has full responsibility for the conduct of foreign relations of all areas subject to United States jurisdiction, including all U.S. states, territories, and possessions. Accordingly, the Department reviews any proposed participation by a U.S. territory or possession in international bodies, or signing of documents (including agreements) with other nations.”
U.S. territories do not have any legal sovereignty, as the courts have repeatedly determined. The U.S. government has been very clear on this point. While territories are allowed to join in cultural organizations, they may not participate in political forums or organizations of any kind.
Just the U.S.?
Islands Business points out that two of the PIF members, New Caledonia and French Polynesia, are territories of France. It appears that PIF does not require members to be independent nations, and that France does not object to their territories taking part. In a comparable situation, France objected to their territories fielding contestants for Miss Universe, while the United States has never objected to U.S. territories doing so. These decisions are up to the governments of the sovereign nations involved.
The federal government is allowed to make all the rules for U.S. territories under Article IV of the U.S. Constitution, which states that “[t]he Congress shall have Power to dispose of and make all needful Rules and Regulations respecting the Territory or other Property belonging to the United States[.]”
What about states?
If Guam were a state, could it join the PIF? On one hand, it is clear that states cannot conduct international relations as if they were countries. They cannot make treaties with foreign governments. The U.S. Constitution forbids states from entering into any “Treaty, Alliance, or Confederation” with a foreign nation.
However, states do have more leeway than territories. The Congressional Research Service points out that “States have offices overseas and send trade and diplomatic delegations to foreign countries. They have imposed economic sanctions for human rights abuses and military aggression—most recently on Russia for invading Ukraine. States regularly enter into written pacts with foreign governments on issues ranging from trade to the environment to tourism.”
In its statement, the U.S. government acknowledges the value of the PIF for its Pacific territories and correspondingly recognizes “the need for and value of American territories’ contributions to the PIF Post Forum Dialogue.” The statement further notes that the U.S. has “in the past invited the Governors of territories to participate as part of the official U.S. delegation when the agenda includes topics of interest and relevance to the territories and will continue to do so.”
If Guam and American Samoa were states, they would have more influence over the United States’ decision over whether or not to join the PIF. Relatedly, the U.S. would also have more credibility and standing to become a member of an inter-governmental organization based in the Pacific. If they were states and if the U.S. were an official part of the PIF, both Guam and American Samoa, as well as the Northern Mariana Islands could send representatives. As territories, they have no options beyond their observer status now that the federal government has reinforced that their involvement is forbidden.
