Trump’s comments on Boakai’s English met with mixed reactions

U.S. President Donald Trump’s commendation of the “beautiful” English spoken by Liberia’s President Joseph Boakai caused confusion on Thursday in the English-speaking African nation, with many perceiving the comments as condescending.

“Such good English,” Trump remarked to Boakai during a White House event, clearly surprised. “Such beautiful English.”

Despite English being Liberia's official language since the 1800s, Trump inquired of Boakai where he had learned to speak it “so beautifully,” and continued as Boakai quietly responded. “Where were you educated? Where? In Liberia?”

This interaction occurred on Wednesday during a meeting at the White House with Trump and five West African leaders, coinciding with a shift in U.S. foreign policy from aid to trade.

Boakai’s administration stated it was not offended by Trump’s comments, but other groups in Liberia viewed the remarks as insulting.

The White House did not clarify whether Trump knew that English was Liberia's official language.

Massad Boulos, the president's senior adviser for Africa, emphasized that Trump “actually complimented the language skills of the Liberian president,” and that everyone present at the meeting was “deeply appreciative” of the president's time and effort.