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Observer
3 days ago
- Politics
- Observer
The forgotten bond between Liberia and America
When my brother asks me about what Netflix series I'm currently watching, I answer vaguely about being busy watching world news. My world news since November had been focusing on one person: President Trump. Being part of a very conventional Arabic culture, I always found the American Dream and becoming whatever you want hard to digest. You see, where I come from, you only treat people if you're a doctor and build things if you're an engineer. But become the president of a powerful country when you're a businessman with no political background - and still get elected - was fascinating and worth watching the consequence of during both terms. Everything about the first term was chaotic and my American friend Di kept sending apologetic messages on behalf of nice Americans that Trump doesn't represent. I still remember the month of November of 2020 - amidst the Covid-19 pandemic- when I received an ecstatic text from her declaring Biden's victory and how things will go back to normal. Four years later, the doubt crept in again while I joked that at least news will be fun to watch. For the past few months, I've been following news clips from different American news channels where topics were changing on daily bases: The Big Beautiful Bill, unexplainable administrative changes, mass deportation and mistreatment of immigrants and citizens alike and lately the Epstein files. But what surpasses all is the White House visits that seem like a bully trap for world leaders where some would fight back (Ukraine's Zelensky), tease back (Canada's Carney) or totally yield (Arab and African leaders). The recent bullying session was under the name of the African Summit that included leaders of five countries: Gabon, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, and Senegal. The newsclips focused only on two: Mauritania's president Ghazouani who was nervously addressing an impatient Trump in French to finally be cut off and Liberian president Boakai who laughed incredulously when Trump complimented him for his good English, then looked baffled when he realised that Trump wasn't aware that English is Liberia's official language. To my shame, I didn't know much about Liberia either - other than it's mentioned in Michael Jackson's song Liberian Girl - and decided to find out more. Liberia is in the West coast of Africa with a capital called Monrovia (in honour of American President Monroe who supported it's establishment) and the currency of Liberian Dollar. In 1822, the American Colonisation Society sent African Americans - slaves and freeborn - to Africa, believing that they'd have a better life away from slavery and lack of civil rights (also fearing their uprise or rebellion). They settled in what was known to European traders as the Pepper Coast - later the Grain coast - and gave it the name Liberia which meant in Latin the 'Land of the Free'. The African American settlers didn't mix with the indigenous, instead they called themselves Americo-Liberians and practiced their American heritage including Protestant faith and republican values. They declared independence in 1847 that the US only recognised in 1862. Liberia is the first and the oldest republic in Africa that was never a European colony (along with Ethiopia). As the country was rich in rubber production, American company Firestone Tire invested in it at the start of the 20th century. Moreover, Liberia supported the US military in WWII which resulted in American investments in the country's infrastructure and economic development. However, it went through two civil wars in 1989-1997 and 1998-2003 between Americo-Liberians and the Indigenous. In general, American and Liberian historic ties are strong yet unknown to many of us, including President Trump. Hope you enjoyed this fascinating history lesson! The writer is author of The World according to Bahja
ITV News
10-07-2025
- Politics
- ITV News
Donald Trump praises Liberian president's 'good English', the country's official language
Donald Trump has praised the Liberian President's fluency in English, despite it being the country's official language. During a meeting at the White House with five West African leaders on Thursday, the US president voiced his surprise at Joseph Boakai's command of English and complimented his language skills. Trump told the Liberian leader he speaks "such good English" and asked "where did you learn to speak so beautifully? Where were you educated?" Boakai laughed and responded that he learned in Liberia, to which Trump seemed surprised. The US President said: "It's beautiful English. I have people at this table who can't speak nearly as well." Many languages are spoken in Liberia but English is country's official language. Liberia was founded in 1822 by the American Colonisation Society to resettle freed American slaves in Africa. Several Liberians voiced their offense 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. Foday Massaquio, chairman of the opposition Congress for Democratic Change-Council of Patriots, a Liberian political group, said that while the remarks were typical of Trump's engagement with foreign leaders, what some saw as a 'condescending' tone was amplified by the fact that the leaders were African. 'As a matter of fact, 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.' Trump met leaders from Liberia, Senegal, Gabon, Mauritania and Guinea-Bissau on Thursday in talks that discussed a pivot from aid to trade. The White House Press Office defended Trump's statement on Wednesday. White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly said that 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.'
9 News
10-07-2025
- Politics
- 9 News
Donald Trump praises 'good English' of Liberian president, prompting criticism across Africa
US President Donald Trump praised Liberian President Joseph Boakai for his strong grasp of the English language yesterday. 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," Archie Tamel Harris, a Liberian youth advocate, 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". Veronica Mente, a South African politician, questioned on X: "what stops [Boakai] from standing up and leav[ing]?" The White House Press Office defended Trump's statement. "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," Massad Boulos, the Trump administration's senior advisor for Africa, said in a statement to CNN. White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly said that 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 that "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 tries to "understand almost everything" and said he makes 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 is "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 are the victims of a genocide. Trump struck a different tone on Wednesday 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".
Daily Mirror
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Trump praises English of country's leader - where English is official language
Donald Trump complimented Liberian President Joseph Boakai on his English-speaking during a meeting with several African leaders at the White House in an awkward exchange Donald Trump has been mercilessly mocked after a bizarre exchange where he praised the President of Liberia for learning English - the African country's national language. The US president, who regularly boasts over having the 'best words', raised eyebrows after an odd and awkward exchange with Liberia's president during a White House meeting with African leaders. As the room filled with formal statements, many delivered in native African languages through interpreters, President Joseph Boakai of Liberia began speaking in English. He thanked Trump for the opportunity to meet and voiced support for his 'Make America Great Again' policy, saying his country is a "longtime friend" of the US. 'Liberia is a longtime friend of the United States and we believe in your policy of making America great again,' Boakai said. 'We just want to thank you so much for this opportunity.' The comment appeared to take Trump by surprise. 'Such good English,' the US leader said admiringly. 'Where did you learn to speak so beautifully?' Boakai, momentarily stunned, nervouly laughed. 'In Liberia?' he replied. 'Yes sir,' he confirmed. Trump, seemingly unaware that English has been Liberia's official language since its founding in the early 19th Century by freed Black Americans, responded, 'That's very interesting. I have people at this table who can't speak nearly as well.' It's not the first time the president's basic comprehension of world affairs has come into question. Critics were quick to pounce, noting that Liberia's historical and linguistic ties to the United States are well documented. The West African country was founded in 1822 by the American Colonisation Society as a settlement for freed slaves from the US, and English remains its official language. 'You don't need a PhD in international relations to know Liberia speaks English,' one X user wrote. 'You just need to have passed Year 9.' The gaffe follows a string of recent Trump moments that have sparked concerns over his mental acuity. Just weeks ago, Trump appeared to confuse his rival Nikki Haley with Nancy Pelosi while talking about the Capitol riot. He's repeatedly misidentified world leaders and misstated policy details, and in one rally, he declared he had defeated Barack Obama in the 2020 election. ' Donald Trump became the oldest president to ever be sworn in to the White House - and it is starting to show,' said one political analyst. 'You can't have these constant blunders and still demand to be taken seriously as a global statesman.' At the meeting, Trump tried to pivot to trade policy, declaring, 'We're shifting from aid to trade. There's great economic potential in Africa, like few other places.' The assembled African leaders appeared unfazed, choosing instead to flatter Trump's efforts on the world stage.
