By Aliou Cissé
The scene is hard to wipe of one’s memory. Five African presidents, from Gabon, Mauritania, Senegal, Liberia, and Guinea-Bissau, sit at a table with Donald Trump in what is supposed to be an important meeting among Heads of State. Trump shrugs off the need to recognise these leaders with a careless hand motion. “I don’t want to spend too much time on this” he says, as if the identities of these leaders, and by extension, those of their countries, are simple inconveniences.
He tells them that it would be easier if each one of them introduces themselves and say which country they head, as if they had gathered themselves on a flight to knock on the White House door desperate for an audience. This moment, captured in a video that went viral, is not just one of Trump’s usual gaffes. It is a reminder of the arrogance that defines U.S.-Africa relations under Trump.
Described as an occasion to strengthen U.S.-Africa trade relations, the gathering quickly turned into a diplomatic faux pas, raising doubts about Trump’s willingness to have meaningful engagement with the African continent. Trump disrespected these five leaders, not even considering that they represented sovereign states. He denied them even the basic diplomatic respect.
Four out of the five leaders are from West Africa, recognised for its wealth of resources and geopolitical importance, but they were clearly not considered equal partners with any real political relevance. Their selection seemed like a deliberate choice of submissive partners who would easily bend to US hegemonic demands.
The leaders’ response to this indignity was equally telling. They sat there, timid, as Trump fumbled through his remarks. The docile acceptance of this disrespect exposed African leaders’ willingness to endure humiliations and remain on the fringes of the global power structure rather than demand equal standing.
Most African leaders have always held back from responding to reckless actions and statements by the U.S. government. The silence to Trump’s infamous derogatory reference to African states in 2018 exposed an asymmetrical relationship, where geopolitical realities often compel silence, in spite of flagrant disrespect.
Behind the rhetoric of trade and investment, the summit reveals a resource security agenda. The U.S. interest is particularly focused on Gabon’s manganese and uranium deposits. This has led observers to question whether the approach shows genuine partnership or simple economic opportunism.
The history of trade Ties between the U.S. and Africa also brings a new dimension. the AGOA trade agreement, which grants access to the US market for several African countries, is up for renewal this year, and it is obviously being used as a tool to push for more commitments, suggesting benefits could be withdrawn from uncooperative states. This approach, and the obvious disrespect shown at the gathering, paints a picture of a relationship where African leaders are expected to toe the line, regardless of the cost to their dignity or their national interests.
One particularly moment during the summit involved Liberian President Joseph Nyumah Boakai. After Boakai delivered his remarks in English, Trump interjected with a patronising comment: “Thank you, and such good English,” he then asked an absurd question, “Where did you learn to speak so beautifully?”This was a clearly ignorant remark. Liberia was founded by African Americans in the 19th century under the auspices of the American Colonisation Society. It has English as its official language. Trump exposed his disturbing ignorance of Liberia’s history and its historical ties to the U.S.
African leaders face serious challenges in their search for global relevance, and the interaction with Trump exposes this. Some say these meetings are unavoidable in the search for economic support, what is not considered is the damage it inflicts on self-respect and national pride. Watching state leaders sit in total deference to Trump as he dismissed their importance has spurred calls for a reassessment of how diplomatic relations are managed.
An unsettling sight, with an almost surreal dissonance, was Gabon’s president, Brice Nguema, arriving back in Libreville adorning Trump’s “Make America Great Again” cap. The sight of a leader whose own country seeks renewal, choosing to adorn the emblem of another land’s restoration, was hard to swallow.
The Washington debacle will continue to be painful reminders of a world where Africa remains on the fringes of a global structure where power, not partnership, dictates the terms of engagement.
