Simay Kirgiz

Thousands of miles from the United States mainland, American Samoa sits as one of the most remote territories in the South Pacific—and on January 12, 2026, its leaders gathered to chart a path forward for the islands. The Thirty-Ninth Legislature of American Samoa convened its Third Regular Session at the Lee Auditorium, bringing together the Senate and House of Representatives, President of the Senate Tuaolo Manaia E.

On April 24, 2025, the Trump Administration released Executive Order 14285, titled Unleashing America’s Offshore Critical Minerals and Resources. The order calls for expanded seabed mapping and research. It also seeks to speed up the permit-approval process for offshore mineral exploration. The effort reflects a broader US strategy to secure access to essential minerals and reduce dependence on foreign supply chains, .

On January 14, 2026, Samoa Prime Minister Laaulialemalietoa Leautea Schmidt arrived in American Samoa with his delegation as guests to the signing and ceremony of an agreement to bring American Samoa into the Pacific Connect Initiative through the new Le Vasa subsea fibre-optic cable.