On July 9, 2025, Donald Trump met with the presidents of Mauritania, Senegal, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, and Liberia to discuss trade, regional security, and investment.
This meeting followed the historic peace agreement Trump helped broker between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and while it was notably more civil than some of his previous encounters with world leaders, it still featured his unmistakable and often controversial style of communication.
Known for his direct, combative, and unconventional rhetoric, Trump did not hold back during this gathering.
His remarks, true to form, stirred attention and sparked reactions, both positive and critical.
Here are five of the most memorable and characteristically Trump-like quotes from the meeting.
—In his opening remarks, Trump said,
“There’s a lot of anger on your continent; we’ve been able to solve a lot of it.”
He was referencing the ongoing conflicts in places like Libya and Sudan, as well as the peace deal involving Rwanda and the DRC.
—Addressing the issue of trade and conflict, he bluntly told the leaders,
“You guys are going to fight; we’re not going to trade.”
His message was clear: the U.S. is willing to engage economically with African nations, but not if they are embroiled in warfare.
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—Trump also encouraged the leaders to invest more in defense equipment, emphasizing,
“We’ve encouraged the countries here today to make greater investments in defence, hopefully, of course, buying our equipment, because we do make the best defense equipment, I guess we proved that two weeks ago in Iran.”
This was a straightforward pitch for American-made arms.
—When asked about imposing tariffs on the countries represented by the leaders, Trump gave a hesitant and somewhat confusing response:
“I haven’t thought of it, but maybe, I don’t know, I like him, him, him, and him, no, I don’t think so, not too much, these are friends of mine now,” pointing at four of the five leaders present.
—Perhaps the most controversial comment came when Trump remarked to Liberia’s president,
“Such good English, where did you learn to speak so beautifully? I have people at this table who can’t speak nearly as well.”
This statement quickly went viral on social media and was widely criticized as passive-aggressive and ignorant, especially since Liberia is an English-speaking country, a fact Trump appeared unaware of.
The other leaders at the meeting primarily spoke French. Overall, while the meeting was more diplomatic than some of Trump’s past engagements, his remarks reflected his usual blend of bluntness, unpredictability, and occasional missteps, leaving a mixed impression on attendees and observers alike.
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Image Credit: Business Insider Africa
