White House Says Move Aims to Strengthen National Unity Amid Linguistic Diversity, But Critics Warn of Potential Exclusion
President Donald Trump has signed an executive order designating English as the official language of the United States, a decision the White House says will promote national cohesion in a country shaped by immigration.
The order, published on Saturday, states that it is “long past time” for English to be officially recognized as the nation’s primary language.
Changes to Federal Language Assistance
The new directive rolls back a mandate from the 1990s under former President Bill Clinton that required federal agencies and federally funded institutions to provide assistance in languages other than English. However, agencies will still have discretion in determining how much support they offer to non-English speakers.
“Nothing in this order requires or directs any change in the services provided by any agency,”
the document states, adding that agency heads can decide what is necessary to efficiently serve the American public.
A Nation of Many Languages
The U.S. is home to more than 350 languages, with nearly 68 million people speaking a language other than English at home, according to government figures from 2019. Spanish is the most widely spoken non-English language, with over 40 million speakers. Other commonly spoken languages include Chinese, Vietnamese, and numerous Native American languages.
Despite this linguistic diversity, the executive order emphasizes that English has been the language of governance since the nation’s founding, citing historic documents such as the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.
Legal Challenges Expected
Trump has issued a flurry of executive orders in his first weeks in office, many of which have faced legal challenges, particularly those affecting federal funding.
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