ESNext import(...) statements are a transpiled into the output module format just like other module syntax such as ES2015 import and export statements. When you specify --module esnext , you are telling TypeScript not to transpile any module syntax at all.

What is Esnext?

esnext is a JavaScript library for converting JavaScript written using the ES6 draft specification syntax to JavaScript that will work today.

What is Esnext TypeScript?

The special ESNext value refers to the highest version your version of TypeScript supports. This setting should be used with caution, since it doesn't mean the same thing between different TypeScript versions and can make upgrades less predictable.