Historic Move by US President Trump: English Declared America’s Official Language

Donald Trump, the president of the United States, declared English to be the nation's official language. President Trump claimed that this decision would bring the immigrant-shaped nation together.

In an executive order released on Saturday, March 1, Trump stated that it was "long past time" for the country to legally recognize English as its official language.

US National 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 stated.

A presidential mandate that was put in place in the 1990s under then-President Bill Clinton and mandated federal agencies and organizations that received government funds to help non-English speakers was repealed by the order. The new rule, however, gives agencies latitude in determining the extent of their multilingual assistance.

Agencies to Have Flexibility in Multilingual Assistance

The letter said that "nothing in this order... requires or directs any change in the services provided by any agency," and that department heads will determine what is required "to fulfill their respective agencies' mission and efficiently provide Government services to the American people."

While acknowledging that there are more than 350 languages spoken in the US, the White House maintained that English has been the primary language "since the founding of our Republic." The decree also pointed out that important historical texts were written in English, such as the US Constitution and the Declaration of Independence.

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America’s Multilingual Population

• More than 350 languages are spoken in the U.S.
• Around 68 million Americans speak a language other than English at home.
• Over 40 million people speak Spanish at home.
• Other widely spoken languages include Chinese, Vietnamese, and Native American languages.

As president, Trump has issued numerous executive orders since he came into office. But many of his orders were challenged in court, especially those that dealt with government funds.