Geography was never his strong suit. Neither was diplomacy.
During a formal White House luncheon meant to honor African partnership and unity, President Donald Trump stunned absolutely no one by stunning everyone—again.
While greeting Liberian President Joseph Boakai, Trump reportedly leaned in, nodded sagely, and said:
“You speak English very well—where did you learn it?”
The room fell silent, save for the distant sound of a globe spinning and weeping quietly.
For those unfamiliar with basic world geography or, say, Google, English is the official language of Liberia—a fact most high school freshmen and every Liberian are aware of.
Diplomatic Déjà Vu
This isn’t the first time Trump has treated a foreign dignitary like a contestant on Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?. In past exchanges, he’s congratulated Namibia on its nonexistent healthcare system and referred to several African nations as “places that aren’t Norway.”
Now, in this latest episode of The Misadventures of MAGA Diplomacy, Trump seems genuinely surprised that an African head of state speaks fluent English in a nation founded by formerly enslaved African Americans from the United States. You know. The ones who already spoke English.
At this point, historians are reportedly debating whether Trump skipped history class or if he thinks Monrovia is a type of pasta.
International Reactions
President Boakai, ever the professional, reportedly smiled and responded with the diplomatic equivalent of, “Bless your heart.” Sources say he then spent the next three hours explaining Liberia’s 1821 founding, America’s role in it, and the concept of context.
Meanwhile, Twitter (or X, depending on your tolerance for rebrands) exploded with hashtags like:
- #MapsForMAGA
- #LiberiaSpeaksEnglish
- #DiplomacyWithDumbbells
CNN tried to get a comment from the White House, but officials responded by circling back to the “real crisis” of how unfairly Trump has been treated by wind turbines and electric vehicles.
Final Thoughts: History Books, Now in Audiobook Form?
Look, not everyone needs to be a Rhodes Scholar. But if you’re dining with five African heads of state, it might help to open Wikipedia between the salad course and whatever definitely-not-African dish was served by Trump’s catering team (rumor has it, it was cheeseburgers and “freedom fries”).
Or maybe the real lesson here is simpler: If you don’t know, don’t guess—especially in front of someone with a presidential sash.
The world is watching. And sometimes, it’s laughing. Or crying. Often both.