President Donald Trump formally declared English the official language of the United States on Saturday, asserting that it would promote unity in a country defined by international immigration.
In an executive order published by the White House, Trump stated that it is ‘long past time’ to officially designate English as the nation’s language. “A nationally designated language is at the center of a united and cohesive nation, and the United States is made stronger by a citizenry able to exchange ideas freely in one common language,” the document reads.
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The order reverses a directive from the 1990s under then-President Bill Clinton, which mandated federal agencies and federal grantees to provide aid to people who are not English speakers. Agencies will still have some leeway in deciding how much language assistance they provide. Nothing in this order… requires or directs any change in the services provided by any agency,” the executive order makes clear. It goes on to say that agency heads are empowered to determine what steps are needed “to fulfill their respective agencies’ mission and efficiently provide Government services to the American people.”
The White House admits that more than 350 languages are spoken nationwide but holds that English has been the country’s official language ‘since the founding of our Republic’. The order points out that basic American documents, including the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, were originally composed in English.
As of 2019, according to data from the U.S. government, there are almost 68 million people who speak a language other than English at home. Although English is the dominant language, more than 40 million people in the U.S. speak mostly Spanish. Other important languages in the country’s linguistic diversity include large groups of Chinese, Vietnamese, and other Native American language speakers.
Since assuming office, Trump has signed many executive orders that seek to put into action his right-wing agenda. Nevertheless, a number of these orders, especially those that target the cancellation of federal funding authorized by Congress, are being challenged in court.
