President Donald Trump has officially designated English as the United States’ national language, stating that the move will promote unity in a nation shaped by diverse immigration backgrounds.
In an executive order released by the White House, Trump emphasized that it is “long past time” for English to be formally recognized as the country’s official language.
“A nationally designated language is fundamental to a unified and cohesive society, and the United States is strengthened by citizens who can freely exchange ideas in one shared language,” the order states.
The directive reverses a policy from the 1990s under then-President Bill Clinton, which required federal agencies and federally funded organizations to provide assistance in multiple languages. However, the order still allows agencies some discretion in determining how much non-English language support to offer.
“Nothing in this order… requires or directs any change in the services provided by any agency,” it clarifies, granting agency heads the authority to assess what is necessary to fulfill their missions efficiently.
Trump has issued numerous executive orders early in his presidency, many of which have faced legal challenges, particularly those attempting to revoke federally approved funding.
Although the White House acknowledges that the U.S. is home to more than 350 languages, the order asserts that English has been the country’s primary language since its founding, as reflected in key historical documents such as the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
Government data from 2019 reveals that nearly 68 million U.S. residents speak a language other than English at home, with Spanish being the most common, spoken by over 40 million people. Additionally, various immigrant communities—including Chinese and Vietnamese speakers—contribute to the country’s linguistic diversity, along with numerous Native American languages.
