Trump Declares English U.S. Official Language
U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order designating English as the official language of the United States, stating that the move will foster national unity in a country shaped by immigration.
The order, published by the White House on Saturday, asserts that it is “long past time” for English to be formally recognised as the country’s official language.
“A nationally designated language is at the core of a unified and cohesive society, and the United States is strengthened by a citizenry that can freely exchange ideas in one shared language,” the order reads.
The directive overturns a mandate introduced in the 1990s under former President Bill Clinton, which required federal agencies and federally funded institutions to provide language assistance to non-English speakers.
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However, the new order allows agencies discretion in determining how much support they will offer in other languages.
“Nothing in this order… requires or directs any change in the services provided by any agency,” it states, granting agency heads the authority to decide what measures are necessary “to fulfill their respective agencies’ mission and efficiently provide Government services to the American people.”
Trump has issued a wave of executive orders in his first weeks in office, many of which are facing legal challenges, particularly those that seek to revoke federal funding previously approved by Congress.
The order acknowledges that over 350 languages are spoken in the U.S. but argues that English has been the country’s primary language “since the founding of our Republic.” It also notes that key historical documents, including the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, were written in English.
Government statistics from 2019 indicate that nearly 68 million people in the U.S. speak a language other than English at home, with Spanish speakers exceeding 40 million. The country’s linguistic diversity also includes Chinese, Vietnamese, and numerous Native American languages.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
