WASHINGTON, DC (LOOTPRESS) – President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Saturday, officially designating English as the national language of the United States. This marks the first time in U.S. history that the federal government has formally recognized an 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 states.
The executive action also rescinds a mandate issued by former President Bill Clinton that required federal agencies and recipients of federal funding to provide language assistance to non-English speakers. However, agencies will still have the option to offer documents and services in other languages at their discretion.
According to the Trump administration, the policy aims to “promote unity, establish efficiency in government, and provide a pathway to civic engagement.”
Despite previous efforts by Republican lawmakers, Congress has never successfully passed legislation making English the official language. While English is already the most widely spoken language in the U.S., many individual states have taken steps to formally adopt it as their official language.
The decision follows Trump’s past remarks criticizing the increasing presence of foreign languages in the U.S. During last year’s Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), he expressed concerns about linguistic diversity, stating, “We have languages coming into our country… languages that nobody in this country has ever heard of. It’s a very horrible thing.”
The executive order is expected to spark debate among policymakers, advocacy groups, and immigrant communities, with critics arguing it could limit accessibility to essential government services for non-English speakers.
