US President Donald Trump complimented the president of Liberia Wednesday on his English-speaking skills — despite English being the official language of the West African nation.
Trump was hosting a White House lunch with African leaders Wednesday, and — after brief remarks from President Joseph Boakai — asked the business graduate where he had picked up his linguistic know-how.
“Thank you, and such good English… Where did you learn to speak so beautifully? Where were you educated?” Trump said.
Boakai — who, like most Liberians, speaks English as a first language — indicated he had been educated in his native country.
He was facing away from the media, making his countenance hard to gauge — but his laconic, mumbled response hinted at awkwardness.
Trump, who was surrounded by French-speaking presidents from other West African nations, kept digging.
“It’s beautiful English. I have people at this table can’t speak nearly as well,” he said.