CONFIRMED: Trump to Visit DR - What it Means...

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In this edition of the Grubernation Weekly Newsletter:

• CONFIRMED: Trump to Visit DR - What it Means

• Are You Dominican Enough?

• Step Aside CNN - The Gringo Breaks Down World Emblem’s Move to DR

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CONFIRMED: Trump to Visit DR - What It Means…

The majority of Americans have TDS - Trump Derangement Syndrome.

But now how you think.

TDS means:

• The mere mention of his name offends you OR

• He can do no wrong

Both extremes are deranged.

The person that just unsubscribed from this newsletter because his name has been said twice already in this article has TDS.

The person that is reading and saying ‘Jamie’s on the good side - he loves Trump too’ has TDS.

Here’s the reality that I know many of you will agree with.

The US Presidency is significant even if the human occupying the office is polarizing.

So I’m asking you to put your biases on the table next to you just for a bit and let’s focus on the news of the first EVER sitting US President visiting Dominican Republic and what it all means.

Jose Ignacio Paliza recently reported that Donald Trump will visit the Dominican Republic ‘within the framework’ of the Summit of the Americas.

You may be saying ‘who?’

Senor Paliza is a significant political figure in the Dominican Republic serving as the Minister of the Presidency - a position very close to Luis Abinader.

In other words, it’s a credible source saying Trump will come.

The Summit of the Americas occurs every 3-4 years starting in 1994.

The location of the Summit carries its own significance as validation of strong democratic principles and past hosts have seen increased trade in the wake of the conference.

👉 Check Out This YouTube Video for More on This Topic

Let’s break down some things we know about US/DR relations:

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• Trump imposed a 10% tariff on DR - the minimum for any country

• US companies are moving manufacturing to DR (see the last section of this newsletter for more on this)

• Open Skies agreement was signed in 2024 opening more routes from the US to Dominican Republic

• The US has a trade surplus with DR - meaning trade favors the US which is music to Trumps ears

• Dominican Republic represents the most stable, friendly and physically close nearshore option in all of the Americas

• In the last 12 months, DR has seized a record amount of drugs that didn’t make it to the US (and other places) - again, music to Trumps ears

Adding in one quick fact - in the history of the Summit of the Americas, the US President has attended EVERY ONE of them … with one exception.

In 2018, Trump sent Pence to that years Summit.

Putting this all together, you have Goliath (the US) signalling a desire for partnership thru their tariff policy, US companies betting on long term solid relations between the US and DR, a major summit coming to Punta Cana and a US President that skipped his last chance to attend saying he’ll attend this time.

My stance has been that DR is in a ‘window’ right now where, if done right, the country can make massive progress toward developed nation status.

There are some clear needs around education, electrical grid stabilization, and anti-corruption efforts in order to TRULY claim ‘fully developed’ in the next 10-20 years, but all of what we’re seeing now is very promising.

As ‘confirmed’ as this is, Trump could opt out .. so nothing is certain until it’s certain!

Here’s what I believe it will mean (both the summit being here and Trump in attendance):

• DR becomes front and center - my interview with Randy Carr from World Emblem plus the CNN feature on their move to DR revealed the same thing .. no one knows that DR is a manufacturing hub! After this event, there will be a time period where multiple companies follow World Emblem’s lead and shift manufacturing here - heck, even before the event you may see this.

• Semiconductor clarity - for the US, moving microchip production back to the western hemisphere is a matter of national security. Costa Rica and Mexico do some, the US will own some of it as well - but DR’s claim to their share of this industry will come into focus after this summit.

• A commitment to further dialogue - Trump likes to have his ego stroked and Abinader’s invitation is just that. And I’m POSITIVE the red carpet will be rolled out if he indeed makes the trip. It’s cringy, but the guy holds the keys to the world’s biggest super power and him feeling good about DR is positive for DR. I know there may be struggle in other parts of the world due to his policies, but hey, if DR becomes an embedded partner for production and jobs come here, the impact will be lasting beyond Trump’s presidency - and that’s a good thing.

Let’s see how this newsletter ages.

• Trump could blow it off

• There may be a bunch of sizzle that fades with no impact

• Lots can happen between now and December

No one truly knows the outcome, but if you asked me if the Summit and US president in the DR is good or bad for the country’s future prosperity - I’d say it’s good.

Are You Dominican Enough?

I saw this comment on a YouTube video and it sparked a conversation with my wife.

The person commenting lived in Sosua a few years ago, but moved back to the US - and is now looking to move back but to Punta Cana this time.

Here’s what she said when I asked her why she left Sosua…

I love this confidence and sense of self-awareness.

Every human can struggle with managing others expectations of what we SHOULD do, or how we SHOULD show up in any given scenario.

I’ve seen this in Dominican culture - or more specifically, Dominican American culture.

I’ve NEVER experienced a culture so proud to be what they are.

Being Dominican is an insanely deep badge of honor worn by anyone who has the blessing of even 1% Dominican blood flowing through their veins!

The connection, trust, inside jokes, foods, customs, traditions - there’s a beautiful bond between these amazing people.

The downside, is when I see one person prescribing what it means to be Dominican on another.

The greatest example starts with those that say ‘Punta Cana isn’t the REAL Dominican Republic’

While I understand the sentiment, it’s such a disempowering and condescending statement. It flies in the face of Dominican pride.

Why is a more financially successful Dominican less Dominican?

So many people reach out to me individually through DM or email with this sense of personal guilt.

They have a lifestyle in the US that let’s them not look at the right side of the menu - and they want that same lifestyle in DR and know it exists mostly in Punta Cana.

But they’re told ‘you have to be stupid to spend that much money in DR’ or ‘that’s not real DR’.

And they question their move.

Here’s the thing - many people I meet that spent time in the US was because their parents or grandparents moved their family out of a tough situation to find success in the land of opportunity.

If you’re someone that makes a good living and has the option to live a parellel life in DR, it’s because you honored your families sacrafice. You took advantage of what they did for you - or what you did by moving yourself!

You’re no less Dominican because you want to absorb your homeland’s culture while living at a standard you’ve created.

Let me be clear.

This is just my take as a non-Dominican making an observation. I don’t want anyone to take this as me explaining something I can’t because I’m not Dominican.

That’s not my intent.

But my two boys are half Dominican and are growing up in DR.

I don’t want them to associate that part of them to poverty, struggle, or even simplicity.

I want them to know they can be truly Dominican (gracious, kind, loving, people focused, respectful, hard working) and be successful.

Just my two cents - know thyself like this person did.

If you want your bubble in DR - claim it .. and don’t apologize for it!!

Step Aside CNN - The Gringo Breaks Down World Emblem’s Move to DR

National news took notice…

Tariff policy has forced companies to look at options outside China, Mexico and other similar nations.

I was first to report when World Emblem moved manufacturing to Santiago on Instagram and it got so much attention, they reached out and even offered for their CEO to be interviewed by me.

So I did - and I captured what I learned and my FULL analysis of what this all leads to in the future in this comprehensive video.