While President Donald Trump’s executive order does not mandate immediate structural changes to federal programmes, it marks a significant symbolic victory for the English-only movement.
In a landmark move, President Donald Trump has signed an executive order officially designating English as the official language of the United States. With this, the US would have an official language for the first time in its 250-year history. The order marks a significant shift in federal language policy, reshaping how government agencies and federally funded organisations handle multilingual services.
Under the new directive, government agencies and organisations that receive federal funding now have the discretion to decide whether to continue offering documents and services in languages other than English. This effectively reverses a policy introduced by former President Bill Clinton, which required these entities to provide language assistance to non-English speakers.
Meanwhile, the decision has sparked a wave of reactions, with supporters praising it as a move to reinforce national identity and streamline government operations, while critics argue it could create barriers for millions of Americans who rely on multilingual resources.
What does the order say?
“Establishing English as the official language will not only streamline communication but also reinforce shared national values, and create a more cohesive and efficient society,” according to the order signed by Trump on Saturday. “In welcoming new Americans, a policy of encouraging the learning and adoption of our national language will make the United States a shared home and empower new citizens to achieve the American dream. Speaking English not only opens doors economically but it helps newcomers engage in their communities, participate in national traditions, and give back to our society,” the order stated.
A longstanding push for making English as official language
More than 30 states have already passed laws designating English as their official language, according to US English — a group that advocates for making English the official language in the United States. For decades, lawmakers in Congress have introduced legislation to designate English as the official language of the US, but those efforts have not succeeded. Within hours of Trump’s inauguration last month, the new administration took down the Spanish language version of the official White House website. Hispanic advocacy groups and others expressed confusion and frustration at the change. The White House said at the time it was committed to bringing the Spanish language version of the website back online.
Why was English not an official language of US?
For nearly 250 years since its founding, the United States has never had an official language. Scholars note that when the country was established, English was widely spoken and the framers of the Constitution saw no need to formalise it as the official language. More importantly, they wanted to avoid alienating citizens who spoke other languages, recognising the linguistic diversity that had existed even before the birth of the republic.
Today, that diversity remains a defining feature of American society. According to the US Census Bureau, around 68 million people — roughly one-fifth of the country’s 340 million population — speak a language other than English at home. The US is home to more than 350 spoken languages, including over 160 Native American tongues. While English remains the dominant language, Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, and Arabic are among the most widely spoken languages in the country.
(With inputs from AP)
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