Trump praises ‘good English' of Liberian president, prompting criticism across Africa

RNZ News

10-07-2025

By
Mitchell McCluskey
and
Larry Madowo
, CNN
Liberian President Joseph Boakai, second from right, attends a lunch with other African leaders hosted by US President Donald Trump in the State Dining Room at the White House in Washington, DC, on July 9.
Photo:
Kevin Lamarque/Reuters via CNN Newsource
US President Donald Trump praised Liberian President Joseph Boakai for his strong grasp of the English language, but the African leader was educated in Liberia, where English is the official language.
As he hosted five African leaders at the White House, Trump asked Boakai: "Such good English, it's beautiful. Where did you learn to speak so beautifully?"
Boakai informed Trump of his place of education, prompting Trump to express his curiosity.
"That's very interesting," he said, "I have people at this table who can't speak nearly as well."
Liberia was founded in 1822 by the American Colonisation Society whose goal was to resettle freed slaves in Africa.
The country declared independence from the American Colonisation Society in 1847, and a variety of languages are spoken in the country today, with English being the official language.
Several Liberians voiced their offence over Trump's comment to Boakai, given the US president's past remarks on African countries and the colonial legacy left by the US organisation in Liberia.
"I felt insulted because our country is an English-speaking country," Liberian youth advocate Archie Tamel Harris told CNN.
"For him to ask that question, I don't see it as a compliment. I feel that the US president and people in the west still see Africans as people in villages who are not educated."
A Liberian diplomat who asked not to be named told CNN that they felt the comment "was not appropriate".
The diplomat added that "it was a bit condescending to an African president who's from an English-speaking nation".
South African politician Veronica Mente questioned on X: "what stops [Boakai] from standing up and leav[ing]?"
The White House Press Office defended Trump's statement on Wednesday (US Time).
"I was in the meeting and everyone was deeply appreciative of the President's time and effort.
"The continent of Africa has never had such a friend in the White House as they do in President Trump," Trump administration's senior advisor for Africa Massad Boulos said in a statement to CNN.
White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly said Trump's comment was a "heartfelt compliment" and that "reporters should recognise that President Trump has already done more to restore global stability and uplift countries in Africa and around the world than Joe Biden did in four years."
Liberia's Foreign Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti told CNN "there was no offence" from the Liberian president's perspective and that "many people do not understand the linguistic borders or linguistic demography of the African continent."
"What President Trump heard distinctly was the American influence on our English in Liberia, and the Liberian president is not offended by that," Nyanti said.
"We know that English has different accents and forms, and so him picking up the distinct intonation that has its roots in American English for us was just recognising a familiar English version," she continued.
Trump has previously applauded the English language abilities of other leaders during diplomatic meetings.
During a press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Trump complimented his "good English" and asked if it was as good as his German.
Merz laughed and noted that he tried to "understand almost everything" and said he made an effort "to speak as good as I can".
The US president has centred the English language as part of this "America First" platform.
During a 2015 presidential debate, Trump asserted that the US was "a country where we speak English".
In March, he signed an executive order making English the official language of the US.
Trump has previously landed in hot water for things he has said about the African nations. In 2018, the president referred to migrants from African countries and other nations as coming from "shithole countries".
In May, he lectured South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on false claims that White South African farmers were the victims of a genocide.
Trump struck a different tone on Wednesday (US Time) as he met with the leaders of Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania and Senegal, praising their countries as "all very vibrant places with very valuable land, great minerals, great oil deposits, and wonderful people".
In turn, he was met with approval from the African leaders, who heaped praise on the president as they urged him to invest in their countries and develop their plentiful natural resources.
Boakai even remarked that Liberia "(believes) in the policy of making America great again".
- CNN