United Nations(UN Archives) United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, meets with King Leslie III during a recent visit to Lesotho.
In his State of the Union address to Congress on Tuesday, March 4th, the President of the United States, Donald Trump, spoke about various topics. Initially, I listened for a bit, but I needed to step away because I felt the speech included too much that didn’t resonate with me.
However, I tuned back in, especially when Representative Al Green from Texas began to stir things up. Once he was escorted out and the atmosphere settled, I resumed watching, albeit halfheartedly, until the moment the president mentioned Lesotho. At first, I was intrigued.
False Statements about African Nations
Since returning to office, President Trump has made many false and misleading statements in his speeches.
According to CNN’s fact checkers, the State of the Union address included dozens of false claims and misstatements, including the one regarding Lesotho. CNN’s Daniel Dale remarked,“…by the standards of any politician in Washington who is not Donald Trump, that was still an extremely dishonest speech.”
Trump also mentioned Mozambique, Uganda, and Zambia in his speech, where he said the previous administration had spent money on social projects that he considered wasteful
Hearing about Lesotho was eye-opening to many Americans, similar to learning about Gaza in Mozambique, where Republicans claimed that the United States Agency for International Development or USAID spent 50 million dollars on condoms. Not only was that misinformation, but Trump’s assertion that no one had heard of Lesotho, stands out as one of the most misleading statements ever, made by someone in such a significant position.
Regardless of whether Trump intended his remark as a joke, it can still come across as an insult or disrespect to a country that truly deserves better from an American president. For the people of Lesotho, many of whom expressed their outrage when Trump claimed that no one knew about their country, this offers a chance for us to learn more about this beautiful African nation.
What is Lesotho?
According to the US Department of State, Lesotho is a constitutional monarchy that has experienced a mix of military rule as well as some democratic governance. The country has maintained democratic relations with the US since it gained independence in 1966. The country has about 2.3 million people, and its national capital is Maseru. Thomas Hines, current US ambassador to the country, assumed his functions in August 2024, according to the US embassy website.
As a native-born African from Cameroon, I have heard about Lesotho countless times. While I haven’t had the chance to visit yet, I feel that now is the perfect opportunity for me, and for anyone who has yet to explore the African continent, to finally plan that long-awaited trip!
During his first term, I wrote extensively about the administration’s neglect of the African continent. The president never made a trip to Africa during his first term in office, often discussing it in negative terms. His infamous “shithole countries” comment sparked considerable anger among Africans.
While these sentiments can sometimes lead to frustration, this could be a moment to reflect on how we, as Africans, both at home and abroad, would like to be perceived.
Negative views of Africa held by Americans and other Western countries shouldn’t prompt us to respond with negativity. Instead, it presents an opportunity to showcase our humility. For those Americans and Westerners who have visited the continent, Lesotho is well-known. As described by Lesotho’s own people, it is a stunning country that warmly invites the world to explore.
On a positive note, President Trump should take advantage of this opportunity during his second term to visit Africa. His trip should be motivated not solely by Africa’s contributions to the world but rather because its people represent a great gift to humanity.
