【By Lin Chenli, Observers网】According to a report by The Washington Post, on July 9 local time, US President Trump had lunch with African leaders at the White House, where he praised the English proficiency of Liberian President Boakai and asked him where he learned such fluent English. Boakai politely smiled but did not mention that English is the official language of Liberia.

On that day, Trump met with leaders from five African countries - Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, and Senegal - at the White House. After Boakai delivered a brief speech in the White House dining hall, Trump said, "Thank you, your English is really good."

Previously, two other African leaders' speeches needed translation.

Trump asked Boakai, "Where did you learn English so well?" Boakai politely smiled, and Trump further questioned, "Where?"

"Were you educated? Where?" Trump asked for the third time. Boakai replied, "Yes, sir."

Trump then asked, "In Liberia?" Boakai responded, "Yes, sir."

"That's very interesting, your English is great," Trump said, "some people at this table have much worse English than you."

On July 9 local time, Trump and Boakai took a photo at the White House. White House X account

Liberia is located in West Africa. Since 1820, freed black slaves from the United States were gradually settled here, and in 1839, the Liberia Federation was established, and on July 26, 1847, it declared independence, establishing the Republic of Liberia. For more than a century, it was ruled by descendants of American black immigrants.

From its establishment until the early 1970s, Liberia once maintained a prosperous and stable image, and due to copying American systems, it was nicknamed "Africa's Little America".

After the fourth Middle East war, the oil crisis triggered a global economic crisis, and Liberia's economy was also affected. The conflict between indigenous blacks and the black ruling group intensified, eventually leading to a military coup. From 1989 to 2003, Liberia was caught in a 14-year bloody civil war, causing nearly 250,000 deaths and over a million displaced people.

In 2003, under the mediation of the United Nations, the conflicting parties reached a ceasefire agreement and began the national reconstruction process. In 2014, Liberia was hit by a severe Ebola outbreak, which again impacted its economic and social development. In 2024, the country's per capita GDP was only $866.45, making it one of the least developed countries.

The current president of Liberia, Boakai, was born in 1944. He started his career in business, and in 2005, he ran for vice president as a partner of Sirleaf and was elected. He was re-elected in 2011. In 2017, he ran for president but lost to Vieira. In October 2023, he ran again and won.

According to the biography released by the Liberian government, Boakai has held multiple executive positions in private enterprises and the government. He was born in a remote village, but he was determined to receive an education, and finally achieved this goal in the capital Monrovia.

The biography mentions: "In pursuit of his educational dreams, he walked 300 miles (about 483 kilometers) from Wosunga to Monrovia twice," during which he stayed with different families, and finally entered one of Liberia's top high schools, the West Africa College.

The report mentioned that since returning to the White House, Trump has dealt with leaders from various countries who have different levels of English proficiency, and this is not the first time he has publicly commented on others' English proficiency.

This year, at a press conference with Indian Prime Minister Modi, Trump told an Indian journalist, "You need to speak louder." When the journalist continued speaking, he shook his head and made a face: "I didn't understand a word he said. It's the accent, I found it hard to understand."

Later that day, when an Indian journalist asked a question in English in the Oval Office, Trump leaned forward to let the interpreter interpret.

Additionally, shortly after his re-election, at a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, Trump told an Afghan journalist, "Your voice is very nice, your accent is also pleasant."

"But the problem is, I don't understand a word you're saying," he told the journalist, "but I still want to say, good luck and live safely."

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Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7525315581784965674/

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