Surangel Whipps Jr.. Surangel Samuel Whipps Jr. is a Palauan businessman and politician who has served as the president of Palau since 2021. He previously served as a senator from 2009 to 2016. A member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, he is a strong advocate for environmental conservation, economic reform, and maintaining Palau's diplomatic ties with Taiwan. He won re-election in the 2024 Palauan general election.