Lesotho Minister Criticizes Trump as ‘Insulting’ for Claiming Nobody Knows About Their Country | World News
Lesotho’s foreign minister found it “offensive” for Donald Trump to claim that no one has heard of the country.
During his speech to the US Congress on Tuesday, the US president referenced Lesotho while denouncing certain foreign expenditures as “appalling waste.”
“Eight million dollars to promote LGBTQI+ in the African nation of Lesotho, which nobody has ever heard of,” Trump remarked, eliciting laughter in Congress.
He also seemed to have difficulty pronouncing the country’s name.
Lesotho’s foreign minister, Lejone Mpotjoane, expressed his astonishment, saying: “I’m truly surprised that my country would be referenced in such a manner by the leader of the country.”
“Lesotho is an incredibly significant and unique nation globally. I would be pleased to extend an invitation to the president, as well as the rest of the world, to visit Lesotho,” added Mr. Mpotjoane in an interview with the Reuters news agency.
He further told The Associated Press: “It is both surprising and disappointing that he claimed no one knows Lesotho, especially considering that the US has an embassy here.”
“He should represent his own views and avoid making generalizations.”
The Trump administration has slashed billions in foreign aid as part of the president’s America First strategy.
Lesotho, home to about 2.3 million residents, has received American aid for nearly two decades via USAID, which allocated over $44 million (£34.1 million) to the country last year.
The Maluti Mountains in Butha Buthe, Lesotho. File pic: Reuters/Sumaya Hisham
The Katse dam in Lesotho. File pic: Reuters/Victor Antonie
Mr. Mpotjoane noted that while civil society organizations funded by the US embassy in Lesotho supported the LGBT+ community, the US also played a vital role in financing the nation’s health and agricultural sectors.
The funding cuts have led Lesotho’s HIV program to dismiss at least 1,500 health workers, equating to about 7% of the country’s health workforce, which the government has deemed a significant setback.
US assistance has been credited with enabling Lesotho to provide life-saving care to more than 200,000 individuals living with HIV.
Mr. Mpotjoane mentioned that the government is exploring ways to enhance its self-sufficiency.
“While the president’s choice to cut aid… is his prerogative, we must accept that. However, to characterize my country in such a way is quite regrettable.”
This isn’t the first instance of Mr. Trump reportedly making derogatory remarks about Africa. During his first term, it was alleged that he labeled African nations, as well as Haiti and El Salvador, as “shithole countries“—a claim Mr. Trump has denied.
Elon Musk, who advised Mr. Trump and has advocated for the foreign aid reductions in his capacity as head of the new department focused on government efficiency, has recently been attempting to establish business operations in Lesotho.
Read more:
Trump makes US tariff concessions to carmakers
Political division in US has never looked like this
Mr. Musk’s Starlink internet satellite service, a subsidiary of SpaceX, has applied for a license to operate in Lesotho, among several other African countries where the firm is seeking contracts.
Recently, the Lesotho Communications Authority confirmed that it received Starlink’s application for a 10-year license.
Additionally, Prince Harry co-founded the charity Sentebale to aid children living in extreme poverty or affected by HIV/AIDS in Lesotho.
