Overview

• President Trump asked Liberian President Joseph Boakai where he had learned to speak English so well, seemingly unaware that it is his country’s official language.
• The exchange occurred on July 9 at a White House summit attended by West African heads of state.
• The clip went viral, drawing criticism from politicians and commentators who cited it as evidence of the president’s unfamiliarity with African contexts.
• Liberia was founded in 1822 by American philanthropists as a settlement for free Black Americans, establishing English as its official language.
• The White House defended the president’s remarks as a sincere compliment and accused media outlets of mischaracterizing the interaction as fake news.