The US president looked taken aback by his counterpart’s ‘beautiful English’, when it is the national language of Liberia. Liberians are outraged and bewildered following United States President Donald Trump’s compliment on the English proficiency of President Joseph Boakai of their nation.
“Such good English,” Trump told Boakai at the White House on Wednesday, with an obvious look of surprise. “Such beautiful English. English has been the official language of the West African country since the 1800s. But Trump did not end there.
“Where did you learn to speak so beautifully?” he went on, as Boakai muttered something in response. “Where were you schooled? Where? In Liberia? The exchange occurred during a White House meeting between Trump and five West African presidents, during a shift from aid to trade in US foreign policy.
Liberia has been intimately connected with Washington for centuries, a legacy from the desire to resettle freed slaves from the US.
Foday Massaquio, the opposition Congress for Democratic Change-Council of Patriots chairman, said that while the comments were consistent with Trump’s interaction with foreign leaders, what many interpreted as condescension was compounded by the fact that the leaders were African.
“It also proves that the West is not taking us seriously as Africans,” he said. “President Trump was condescending; he was very disrespectful to the African leader. Kula Fofana, spokesperson for Boakai’s office, told the Associated Press news agency: “I believe that as journalists, it is important to focus on the substantive discussions at the summit.”
We appreciate that President Trump is complimenting our president on his manner of speaking and how clear he was during the meeting,” she continued. “But we hope to be able to attain the substantive request in particular, the strengthening of a closer bilateral relationship with the United States.
Sara Beysolow Nyanti, Liberia’s foreign minister, tweeted on X that “President Trump’s remark on Boakai’s ‘beautiful English’ simply recognised Liberia’s recognisable American‑influenced accent & no offence was taken”.
“Our linguistic heritage is strongly American‑influenced, & this was simply acknowledged by Donald Trump. We continue committed to deepening Liberia‑US relations, founded in mutual respect, shared values, & substance-rich partnership,” the minister stated.
