Latest news with #LiberianPresident
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump praises Liberia leader's English, the country's official language
President Trump said Wednesday he was impressed with Liberian President Joseph Boakai's English during a meeting with African heads of state at the White House. 'Such good English,' he said after Boakai spoke. 'Where were you educated? Where? In Liberia? Well, that's very interesting. It's beautiful English,' Trump said during a joint press conference. 'I have people at this table can't speak nearly as well,' he added. English is the official language of Liberia, a West African nation founded in the early 1800s by philanthropists, abolitionists and some slave owners who sought to resettle free Black Americans. The country, located on Africa's West Coast, also has several indigenous languages and a variation of English known as Liberian English. Boakai was educated at the University of Monrovia, in the country's capital named after U.S. President James Monroe, and later served under former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the first female leader of Liberia. In response to criticism of Trump's comments to Boakai, a White House spokeswoman told the New York Times in a statement that, 'only the fake news could so pathetically pick apart President Trump's heartfelt compliment during a meeting that marked a historic moment for U.S.-Africa relations.' Trump invited the leaders of Gabon, Senegal, Mauritania, and Guinea-Bissau, as well as other African nations rich in natural resources, to the Wednesday White House meeting after signing an executive order in March to increase American mineral production. The Trump administration locked in deals with China and Ukraine regarding access to their rare Earth deposits earlier this year. Liberia's real GDP is expected to grow around 5 percent in 2025, driven by continued expansion in mining, especially gold, and improvements in agriculture and services, according to the World Bank. The nation has a population of 5.7 million and has attracted foreign interest for its wealth of rare Earth minerals and rare Earth metal neodymium, according to the organization. 'Liberia is a longtime friend of the United States and we believe in your policy of making America great again,' Boakai told Trump, before he complimented his speaking style. Other African leaders echoed the same sentiment in support of 'America First' policies, citing opportunities for economic collaboration. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘Racist And Wrong': Trump Schooled After ‘Completely Embarrassing' White House Moment
Critics are calling out President Donald Trump after an awkward moment at the White House on Wednesday during a meeting with a group of African leaders. After Liberian President Joseph Boakai spoke, Trump offered some unusual praise. 'Such good English. That's beautiful. Where did you learn to speak so beautifully?' Trump asked. 'Where were you educated? Where? In Liberia?' Boakai replied, 'Yes, sir.' Trump said, 'Well, that's very interesting. It's beautiful English. I have people at this table, can't speak nearly as well.' Boakai's command of English shouldn't have surprised Trump. Liberia was initially settled in part by formerly enslaved Americans, and many of those living there today are the descendants of African Americans who fled slavery in the United States. While the nation has indigenous groups and its own dialect of English, many residents also speak other languages, and English remains the country's official language. Trump's critics accused him of ignorance, racism and more ― and fired back on X: Trump Chief Of Staff Spills On Elon Musk's 'Troublesome' Ending In Rare Interview Bad Bunny Imagines Trump Doing The Absolutely Unthinkable In New Music Video Trump's Latest 'Golden Age' Move Is Wired For Chaos, Critics Fume
News.com.au
10-07-2025
- Politics
- News.com.au
Viral moment Donald Trump praises Liberian leader on English, his native tongue
A less than 20 second exchange at a lunch between US President Donald Trump and African leaders has gone viral. As the leaders sat around a table in the White House's State Dining Room on Wednesday, Mr Trump praised the president of Liberia on his English-speaking skills and asked where he learnt to speak the language. However, English is the official language of the country. 'Thank you, and such good English,' Mr Trump told Joseph Boakai. (Watch in the video player above). Mr Boakai took the compliment with a polite laugh. 'Where did you learn to speak so beautifully?' Mr Trump asked. 'Were you educated? Where?' 'Yes, sir,' Mr Boakai said. 'In Liberia?' Mr Trump pressed. 'Yes, sir,' the Liberian president said again. Mr Trump continued: 'That's very interesting. It's beautiful English. I have people at this table who can't speak nearly as well.' Liberia was founded by African-Americans. US engagement in Liberia began in the 1820s when the Congress- and slaveholder-funded American Colonization Society began sending freed slaves to its shores. Thousands of 'Americo-Liberian' settlers followed, declaring themselves independent in 1847 and setting up a government to rule over a native African majority. The country has a diverse array of indigenous languages and a number of creolised dialects, while Kpelle-speakers are the largest single linguistic group. Mr Boakai himself can read and write in Mendi and Kissi but converses in Liberia's official tongue and lingua franca — English. The awkward exchange quickly made headlines and was plastered across social media. While some social media users labelled the moment 'embarrassing' and slammed the US President for being ignorant, others shared they didn't know English was the official language of the West African nation either. — with AFP Read related topics: Donald Trump
