Overview

• President Trump commended Joseph Boakai for speaking “such good English” during a July 9 White House summit with five West African leaders.
• The clip went viral as critics noted that English is Liberia’s official language and Boakai was educated in his home country.
• Foreign Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti said Boakai was unoffended and suggested Trump simply recognized Liberia’s American-influenced accent.
• White House spokesperson Anna Kelly defended the remark as a heartfelt compliment in the broader context of US-Africa trade talks.
• Observers say the exchange has reignited discussion about Western attitudes toward African leaders amid the administration’s shift from aid to trade policy.