Claim: Liberian president has responded to Donald Trump’s insulting comments
Source: Social media
Verdict: False (AI-generated video)
Researched by Alfa Shaban
Liberian President Joseph Boakai was among five African leaders who met President Donald Trump at the White House on July 7, 2025, for his first African Summit since returning to office in January 2025.
RelatedNews
A major talking point from the meeting was Trump’s compliment about the quality of Boakai’s spoken English.
“We just want to thank you so much for this opportunity,” Boakai said in concluding his about two-minute remark, which included a call for greater cooperation between Liberia and the US and a case for more American investment in the West African country.
“Thank you, and such good English, such beautiful English. Where did you learn to speak so beautifully? Where were you educated? In Liberia? That is very interesting,” Donald Trump replied (14 minutes, 30 seconds to 16 minutes, 30 seconds ).
The two leaders later had separate bilateral talks according to a statement from the Executive Mansion, Liberia’s presidency.
But days later, a video has since surfaced online with the title, “LIBERIAN PRESIDENT JOSEPH BOAKAI LAUNCHED A DIRECT ‘ATTACK’ ON TRUMP’S INSULTS!” In the video, Boakai is allegedly protesting Trump’s arrogant posture and prejudiced mindset about Africa.
“Yesterday’s exchange with Trump shocked and angered me. I never thought I would be insulted like this in an international setting. I understand his arrogance, impatiently asked for speed up many times in the meeting,” portions of the viral video disclosed.
The video, shared by an X user, has been viewed 371,000 times with close to 1,000 comments, 3.9 reposts, 8.3 likes and 1.2K bookmarks.
Has the Liberian leader issued any direct response to Trump’s comments?
Fact-check
FactSpace Liberia, upon a careful examination of the video, classified it as AI-generated on two grounds.
- The audio is rigid in terms of tone, unlike how President Boakai speaks. There are also parts where the pauses are irregular.
- FactSpace Liberia observed that while the thumbnail is of President Boakai, the subsequent shots do not resemble him, and the change in the tie and pin on his suit in the thumbnail are different as the video plays.
FactSpace Liberia conducted a Google search of major news reports around the issue and there is no evidence of Boakai reacting Trump’s words as an insult or issuing a response.
There is also no official statement by the Liberian presidency about any response to Trump as contained in the video.
FactSpace Liberia has, however, cited a government reaction to Trump’s comment in a BBC report where Foreign Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti denied it was an awkward moment, saying there was a “lack of understanding” around the world about the languages people speak in Africa, which she described as a “multi-lingual continent”.
“Liberia happens to have the American-English intonation and I believe President Trump heard something familiar in the way President Boakai spoke, which is different from the way others speak on the continent,” she told the BBC’s Newsday programme.
“We were not offended at all,” she said, adding that away from the TV cameras, there was a discussion of the two countries’ shared history.
Verdict
Therefore, the claim that President Boakai has responded to Trump’s insult is False and the video is AI-generated.
Note: This story has been updated to include comments by Liberia’s Foreign Minister about Trump’s comments.
