President Grover Cleveland was generally opposed to the annexation of Hawaii. Although there was considerable interest in annexing Hawaii during his presidency, especially due to the strategic and economic advantages it could provide, Cleveland was concerned about the circumstances surrounding the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy in 1893. He believed that the overthrow had been illegal and that the native Hawaiian population had not been adequately consulted about the annexation.
Cleveland's administration ultimately sought to restore Queen Liliʻuokalani to the throne, but this effort was unsuccessful. When Cleveland left office in 1897, the question of Hawaiian annexation remained unresolved, but it was later pursued more aggressively by his successor, President William McKinley, leading to the official annexation of Hawaii in 1898.
1 answer