President Donald Trump raised eyebrows after complimenting Liberian President Joseph Boakai’s English during a White House summit with five African leaders—seemingly unaware that English is Liberia’s official language, a legacy of its founding by freed American slaves in 1822.
The three-day summit in Washington, D.C. featured leaders from Mauritania, Liberia, Senegal, Gabon, and Guinea-Bissau—nations rich in resources but not considered Africa’s economic heavyweights.
The White House framed the event as a business opportunity rather than a diplomatic gesture.
Throughout a televised lunch, the visiting presidents showered Trump with praise, crediting his administration with facilitating a peace deal between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, and even suggesting he deserved a Nobel Peace Prize. Trump, clearly enjoying the warm reception, welcomed their admiration.
The discussions centered on trade. With Trump’s “trade, not aid” stance and up to 10% tariffs on African exports, the leaders lobbied for better terms and pitched their countries’ natural riches, from rare earth minerals to investment-friendly projects.
Senegal’s president pitched a tech city on the coast and even invited Trump to build a golf course.
Behind the compliments was strategic urgency. Trump has already slashed aid to Africa and cast doubt on renewing the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa), which gives duty-free access to U.S. markets.
The shift reflects a new U.S. approach: less aid, more deals—if leaders play their cards right.