Sentiment for and against unification exist in varying degrees.[5] Some Western Samoan political leaders have argued for Western Samoa to become an American Trust Territory, or for a future reunification with Eastern Samoa.[6] Although American Samoans have a strong Samoan national identity, there is no large movement towards independence or Samoan reunification in American Samoa.[7] American Samoa protested Western Samoa's name change to "Samoa" in 1997 due to implying Western Samoan authority over the Samoan Islands.[8]