President Donald Trump has drawn criticism for an awkward exchange with Liberian President Joseph Boakai during a meeting with several African leaders at the White House.
Turning to Boakai, Trump said, “You speak such good English. Where did you go to school?” The Liberian leader laughed politely but did not respond with a correction.
Unbeknownst to Trump or perhaps overlooked in the moment, English is Liberia’s official language, and the country has deep historical ties to the United States. Founded in 1822 by freed African-American slaves, Liberia was established as a nation to resettle formerly enslaved Black people returning from the US.
The offhand comment from Trump added a jarring note to what was otherwise meant to be a diplomatic meeting. Critics online quickly pointed out the irony and historical tone-deafness of questioning an African leader’s English fluency in a country where English is not only the official language but also a symbol of its founding identity.
There was no official response from President Boakai’s delegation regarding the remark.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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