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New Straits Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Liberia: No offence taken over Trump's 'good English' gaffe to President Boakai
MONROVIA: Liberia's president was "honoured" to meet US counterpart Donald Trump this week and wasn't offended by Trump's comment about his fluency in English – his mother tongue – Liberia's foreign minister said on Friday. The US president's gaffe has even inspired a catchy tribute song in the west African country. Trump praised President Joseph Boakai on Wednesday on his English-speaking skills, apparently unaware that English is the official language of Liberia. Responding to remarks Boakai made at a White House mini-summit of the presidents of five mineral-rich countries in west Africa, the US leader said: "Such good English... Where were you educated?" Boakai – who, like most Liberians, speaks English as a first language – laughed uncomfortably and replied he had been educated in his home country. "We were honoured by the White House's invitation to President Boakai for a meeting with President Trump and fellow African leaders," Liberian Foreign Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti told AFP on Friday evening. "No offence was taken." She said Liberia was keen to strengthen ties with the United States, "built on mutual respect." Liberia is the oldest republic in sub-Saharan Africa. It was founded in 1822 when the American Colonization Society, funded by the US Congress and slaveholders, began sending freed slaves to its shores. Thousands of "Americo-Liberian" settlers followed. They declared independence in 1847 and set up a government to rule over the native African majority. English is the official language and the most widely used throughout the country. In response to Trump's faux pas, singer and former cultural ambassador Queen Juli Endee penned a song in tribute to Boakai. "We salute JNB, our black president, Beautiful English King of Africa," she and her band sing in a video widely shared on social media. The clip shows them waving US flags and wearing T-shirts bearing the images of Boakai and Trump. Liberians, meanwhile, voiced mixed reactions. Shadrach Johnson, unemployed, welcomed the fact Boakai had been among the small number of African leaders invited to the summit. "He went there and spoke on behalf of the Liberian people. It's progress," he told AFP. But street trader Patience Allison said Trump had insulted her head of state and sought to provoke.
CNN
4 days ago
- Politics
- CNN
This is how Liberians reacted to Trump's surprise at the President's English skills
Donald Trump's praise of his Liberian counterpart, Joseph Boakai, prompted criticism and offense in the country. Liberia was founded in 1822 by the American Colonization Society whose goal was to resettle freed slaves in Africa. The country declared independence in 1847, and a variety of languages are spoken in Liberia today, with English being the official language.
Al Etihad
5 days ago
- Politics
- Al Etihad
"Such good English": Liberia says not offended by Trump gaffe to president
12 July 2025 19:42 Monrovia (AFP)Liberia's president was "honoured" to meet US counterpart Donald Trump this week and wasn't offended by Trump's comment about his fluency in English -- his mother tongue -- Liberia's foreign minister said on Friday. The US president's gaffe has even inspired a catchy tribute song in the west African country, Foreign Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti told AFP on Friday praised President Joseph Boakai on Wednesday on his English-speaking skills, apparently unaware that English is the official language of Liberia. Responding to remarks Boakai made at a White House mini-summit alongside the presidents of five mineral-rich, French-speaking countries in west Africa, the US leader said: "Such good English... Where were you educated?" Boakai -- who, like most Liberians, speaks English as a first language -- laughed uncomfortably and replied he had been educated in his home country. "We were honoured by the White House's invitation to President Boakai for a meeting with President Trump and fellow African leaders," Nyanti said. "No offence was taken."She said Liberia was keen to strengthen ties with the United States, "built on mutual respect". Liberia is the oldest republic in sub-Saharan Africa. It was founded in 1822 when the American Colonization Society, funded by the US Congress and slaveholders, began sending freed slaves to its shores. Thousands of "Americo-Liberian" settlers followed. They declared independence in 1847 and set up a government to rule over the native African majority. English is the official language and the most widely used throughout the country. English King of Africa In response to Trump's faux pas, singer and former cultural ambassador Queen Juli Endee penned a song in tribute to Boakai."We salute JNB, our black president, Beautiful English King of Africa," she and her band sing in a video widely shared on social media. The clip shows them waving US flags and wearing T-shirts bearing the images of Boakai and Trump.
Black America Web
5 days ago
- Politics
- Black America Web
Trump's ‘Good English' Gaffe Is Proof He Still Doesn't Get Africa Or Grammar
Source: Anadolu / Getty Donald Trump's latest attempt at foreign diplomacy was once again marked by ignorance after turning a diplomatic gesture into yet another example of his inability to speak respectfully or intelligently about other cultures, especially those from Africa. Earlier this week, while hosting five African leaders at the White House in what he framed as a renewed effort to 'invest in trade, not aid,' Trump managed to simultaneously insult and embarrass us all after asking Liberian President Joseph Boakai where he learned to 'speak so beautifully?' 'Such good English, it's beautiful,' Trump said. 'Where did you learn to speak so beautifully?' Boakai, seemingly unfazed, responded that he was educated in Liberia, where English is, in fact, the official language. Perplexed, Trump said: 'That's very interesting. I have people at this table who can't speak nearly as well.' But this wasn't a compliment, it was a microaggression wrapped in ignorance, delivered with the smugness of someone who can barely string together a grammatically correct sentence himself. What's worse than the remark was the reception by President Boakai. Rather than seizing the moment to challenge the insult, he instead nodded along before later noting that Liberia cosigned Trump's MAGA message. 'Liberia believes in the policy of making America great again,' Boakai said, sounding like a man too grateful for his seat at the table to question the menu. Let's talk about that for a moment. Founded in 1822 by the American Colonization Society, Liberia was birthed with the goal of resettling freed slaves in Africa. The country declared independence from the American Colonization Society in 1847. In truth, Boakai's deference exposes the flaws of post-colonial politics where former colonies are still put in the diplomatic position of having to show up at the empire's front door with their hat in hand, seeking approval, investments, and photo ops. Now, rather than continuing to stand in solidarity with fellow African nations building intra-continental partnerships as promised, Liberia seems to be forced into a return to the very apron strings its ancestors severed. Earlier this month, U.S. authorities dissolved the U.S. Agency for International Development and said it was no longer following what they called 'a charity-based foreign aid model.' That decision sent shock waves across Liberia, where American support made up almost 2.6% of the gross national income, the highest percentage anywhere in the world, according to the Center for Global Development. Following the inhumane decision with the backhanded compliment on President Boakai's dialect, many Africans who speak English, not as a second language but as a national one, view Trump's comment as not only offensive, but deeply condescending. South African politician Veronica Mente took to X to question why Boakai decided to remain in the meeting, writing: 'What stops [Boakai] from standing up and leaving?' While an unnamed Liberian diplomat reportedly told CNN the remark 'was not appropriate.' Foday Massaquoi, chairman of the opposition Congress for Democratic Change-Council of Patriots, told NBC that while the remarks were typical of Trump's engagement with foreign leaders, the 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,' Foday Massaquoi said. 'President Trump was condescending; he was very disrespectful to the African leader.' Source: JIM WATSON / Getty Kula Fofana, spokesperson for Boakai's office, told The Associated Press: 'I believe that as journalists, it is important to focus on the substantive discussions at the summit.' The optics are troubling. Instead of prioritizing the continued forging of stronger alliances with fellow African nations or investing in regional partnerships that prioritize African interests, Liberia is clamoring for U.S. approval and economic investment, and for what? A seat at a table where they are met with surprise at their ability to speak English? Liberia was created to escape the very systems of marginalization its leaders now seem willing to tolerate in exchange for attention from Western powers. Trump's fixation on English is a recycled political tool, a symbol of nationalism, and a Jim Crow-tainted litmus test attempting to determine worth and value by its proximity to whiteness. From mocking South Asian and Middle Eastern reporters for their accents to repeatedly praising the 'good English' of white European leaders, his comments reflect a deeply embedded bias. It's a bias that elevates whiteness as the standard of intellect and civility while dismissing everyone else. What makes his comments all the more absurd is his own often incoherent and error-riddled speech. This is a man who created words like 'covfefe,' signed an executive order declaring English the official language of the United States, and once told an English-speaking reporter he couldn't understand him 'because of the accent.' So when Trump marvels at another leader's ability to speak English 'beautifully,' the irony is almost laughable. The White House later defended the comment, calling it a 'heartfelt compliment,' but to many observers, it was yet another example of Trump's consistent failure to engage with the world respectfully or competently. At a time when Africa is emerging as a vital force in the global economy and a strategic player in the geopolitical arena, leaders like President Boakai must ask themselves: Are we here to build partnerships rooted in respect and mutual progress—or are we willing to trade dignity for diplomacy with a man who sees our brilliance as an anomaly? Because while Trump may have praised 'good English,' the world heard something far more familiar, the echo of condescension from a man who clearly benefited from teachers grading on a curve. SEE ALSO: Trump's Firing Of Carla Hayden Is Another Attack On Knowledge And History Donald Trump, Executive Overreach, And Project 2025's Blueprint SEE ALSO Trump's 'Good English' Gaffe Is Proof He Still Doesn't Get Africa Or Grammar was originally published on
CNN
5 days ago
- Politics
- CNN
This is how Liberians reacted to Trump's surprise at the President's English skills
Donald Trump's praise of his Liberian counterpart, Joseph Boakai, prompted criticism and offense in the country. Liberia was founded in 1822 by the American Colonization Society whose goal was to resettle freed slaves in Africa. The country declared independence in 1847, and a variety of languages are spoken in Liberia today, with English being the official language.
