11-07-2025

Trump Praises Liberian Leader's Native English Skills

Date: 11-07-2025
Sources: news.sky.com: 1 | bbc.com: 1 | cbsnews.com: 1 | edition.cnn.com: 1
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Image Source:

Source: edition.cnn.com

Image content: The image is a images of two photographs, with text in the middle that reads "TRUMP PRAISES LIBERIAN LEADER'S ENGLISH. IT'S HIS NATIVE LANGUAGE." The top and bottom images depict a formal meeting with two bald men seated across from Donald Trump at a table, with another man standing behind a podium. The main subject and content can be described in 2-3 sentences: The image shows Donald Trump at a formal meeting with other men, likely a diplomatic or political gathering. The text in the middle of the image is a humorous commentary on Trump's praise for a Liberian leader's English, implying that it is ironic since English is the native language of Liberia's former colonizers, not necessarily the leader's native

Summary

US President Donald Trump praised Liberian President Joseph Boakai's language abilities, not realizing English is Liberia's official language and Boakai's native language, highlighting a broader lack of awareness about Liberia's history and ties to America.

Key Points

  • Donald Trump complimented Joseph Boakai's English-speaking abilities despite English being Boakai's native language and Liberia's official language.
  • The praise was given during a meeting at the White House where Trump discussed shifting from aid to trade with West African leaders.
  • Liberia has strong historical and institutional connections to the US, having been established by freed slaves and having an educational background tied to America.

Articles in this Cluster

Donald Trump praises Liberian president's English - the country's official language | US News | Sky News

US President Donald Trump praised Liberian President Joseph Boakai's English-speaking skills during a White House meeting, asking where he learned to speak "so beautifully". Boakai laughed and replied he learned in Liberia, not revealing that English is Liberia's official language due to its historical ties with the US. Trump also met with leaders from other West African countries and promised a shift from aid to trade, describing the region as having "very valuable land, great minerals, and great oil deposits, and wonderful people".

Liberia: Six things Donald Trump should know after he praised Joseph Boakai's 'good English'British Broadcasting CorporationBritish Broadcasting Corporation

US President Donald Trump praised Liberian President Joseph Boakai for speaking "good English", highlighting the historical ties between Liberia and the US. Here are six key facts about Liberia: it was founded by freed African-American slaves in 1822; its capital, Monrovia, is named after US President James Monroe; the country's flag closely resembles the US flag; Liberia has strong cultural and institutional ties to the US; former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who won the Nobel Peace Prize, has a strong American educational background; and the country is home to the world's largest rubber plantation, owned by the US tyre manufacturer Firestone. Liberians had a mixed reaction to Trump's comments, with some feeling it reflected a broader global ignorance about African nations, while others saw it as a genuine compliment.

Trump praises Liberia's president on his mastery of English — his native tongue and the African nation's official language - CBS News

President Trump complimented Liberian President Joseph Boakai on his English-speaking skills during a White House meeting, despite English being Liberia's official language and Boakai's native tongue. Trump asked Boakai where he learned to speak English so well, and Boakai replied that he was educated in Liberia. Trump continued to praise Boakai's English, saying it was "beautiful" and that some other leaders at the meeting couldn't speak as well. The exchange was met with awkwardness, and Liberian newspapers had little coverage of the incident.

Trump praises Liberian leader’s English. It’s his native language | CNN

President Donald Trump complimented Liberian President Joseph Boakai's English pronunciation during a White House meeting, despite English being Boakai's native language.