US President Donald Trump on Wednesday praised Liberian President Joseph Boakai for his strong command in English during a meeting at the White House. However, Liberia’s official language is English and Boakai was educated there. This prompted criticism across Africa.Hosting five African leaders, Trump asked Boakai: “Such good English, it’s beautiful. Where did you learn to speak so beautifully?” Boakai replied that he was educated in Liberia. Trump responded, “That’s very interesting. I have people at this table who can’t speak nearly as well.”

Liberia was founded in 1822 by the American Colonization Society to resettle freed slaves from the US. The country declared independence in 1847. Though many languages are spoken there, English is the official language.Several Liberians found Trump’s comment offensive. Archie Tamel Harris, a youth advocate in Liberia, told CNN: “I felt insulted because our country is an English-speaking country.”“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,” Harris added.South African politician, Veronica Mente questioned on X: “what stops [Boakai] from standing up and leav[ing]?”The White House defended Trump’s remark. Massad Boulos, the administration’s senior advisor for Africa, in a statement to CNN said: “I was in the meeting and everyone was deeply appreciative of the President’s time and effort.” He added that Africa has never had such a friend in the White House as it does in President Trump.Deputy Press Secretary, Anna Kelly noted that Trump’s comment was a “heartfelt compliment” adding that “reporters should recognize 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 there was “no offense” taken by President Boakai. She said people often don’t understand the linguistic history of Africa, adding that Trump seemed to recognize Liberia’s American-influenced English accent.Trump has made similar remarks before. In a press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, he praised Merz’s “good English” and joked about whether it was as good as his German.Trump has also stressed English as part of his “America First” agenda. 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.