Why Trump has invited five African leaders to the White House
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Trump sells shift from ‘aid to trade’ in White House meeting with African leaders
U.S. President Donald Trump told leaders from five African nations on Wednesday that he was shifting the U.S.’s approach to the continent from aid to trade. “There’s great economic potential in Africa, like few other places,” he said at the start of a White House meeting. “We treat Africa far better than China or anybody else, anyplace else,” said Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, president of Gabon. “You are welcome to come and invest, otherwise, other countries might come instead of you,” Trump said at a meeting in Washington, D.C., on July 8, 2025. “Those countries are rich countries when it comes to raw materials, and we need partners to support us,” said Trump at a Wednesday meeting in New York, New York. “In many ways, in the long run, this will be far more effective and sustainable and beneficial than anything else that we can be doing together,” he added at the end of the meeting.
Summary Trump meeting focused on trade, economy
Visiting countries have abundant natural resources
African politicians in 2018 called Trump racist
WASHINGTON, July 9 (Reuters) – President Donald Trump told leaders from five African nations on Wednesday that he was shifting the U.S. approach to the continent from aid to trade and that the United States is a better partner for Africa than China.
Trump, who has shuttered the U.S. Agency for International Development and slashed funding for programs that help Africans, hosted leaders from Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania and Senegal for a discussion about business opportunities in their countries.
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Trump said his administration was committed to strengthening friendships in Africa, which he hoped to visit at some point.
“We’re shifting from aid to trade,” he said at the start of a White House meeting. “There’s great economic potential in Africa, like few other places. In many ways, in the long run, this will be far more effective and sustainable and beneficial than anything else that we can be doing together.”
The African leaders, in turn, heaped praise on the U.S. president for brokering peace deals around the world and expressed support for his receiving a Nobel Prize – a sign that they, like many other foreign leaders, appear to have learned how well flattery goes over with the former New York businessman.
Liberian President Joseph Boakai said he supported Trump’s efforts to make “America great again,” a reference to Trump’s political slogan, and encouraged U.S. investment in his country.
Trump praised Boakai’s English and asked him where he had learned it. Liberia was founded by freed slaves from America and English is its official language; Boakai said he learned it there.
“We are not poor countries. We are rich countries when it comes to raw materials. But we need partners to support us and help us develop those resources,” said Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, president of Gabon. “You are welcome to come and invest. Otherwise, other countries might come instead of you.”
This week’s mini-summit marks the latest effort by successive U.S. administrations to counter perceptions of U.S. neglect of a continent where China has increasingly made economic inroads.
“We treat Africa far better than China or anybody else, anyplace else,” Trump said.
COMPLICATED HISTORY
Trump did not visit Africa during his first term, though his wife, Melania , did. Some African politicians labeled Trump a racist in 2018 after he was reported to have described some immigrants from Africa and Haiti as coming from “shithole” countries.
In May, Trump confronted South African President Cyril Ramaphosa with explosive false claims of white genocide and land seizures during a tense White House meeting.
But Wednesday’s meeting did not have any such fireworks. After repeated compliments from the leaders, Trump quipped that he could “do this all day long.”
Africa experts are waiting for Trump to announce dates for a broader summit with African leaders, possibly in September around the time of the United Nations General Assembly.
The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) said earlier in the day it would provide project development funding for the Banio Potash Mine in Mayumba, Gabon, helping Gabon reduce its dependence on imports.
“DFC’s efforts not only benefit the countries and communities where they invest but also advance U.S. economic interests by opening new markets, strengthening trade relationships, and promoting a more secure and prosperous global economy,” said DFC head of investments Conor Coleman.
Trump’s government continues to send out letters notifying trading partners of higher tariff rates taking effect on August 1 and has launched a new front in his trade war against members of the BRICS group of developing countries.
His administration has also axed huge swaths of U.S. foreign aid for Africa as part of a plan to curb spending it considers wasteful and focus on an “America First” agenda.
Those cuts could result in more than 14 million additional deaths by 2030, research published by The Lancet medical journal showed last week.
Senior U.S. officials have said that Washington wants to prioritize trade and investment over charity-based assistance and will focus on creating more opportunities for U.S. firms.
All five countries invited have abundant natural resources, including manganese, iron ore, gold, diamonds, lithium and cobalt, which are essential for use in current technologies. China has invested heavily across the continent in recent years, especially in resource extraction.
But African Union officials question how Africa could deepen trade ties with the U.S. under what they called “abusive” tariff proposals and visa restrictions largely targeting travelers from Africa. The top U.S. diplomat for Africa, Ambassador Troy Fitrell, has dismissed allegations of unfair U.S. trade practices.
Reporting by Nandita Bose, Andrea Shalal, and Jeff Mason; additional reporting by Matt Spetalnick, Christian Martinez and Maiya Keidan; editing by Deepa Babington and Don Durfee
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Senegal’s leader flatters Trump with comments about his golf skills
Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye called Trump a ‘tremendous’ golfer with skills in ‘concentration and precision’ that ‘make for a great leader’ Trump met at the White House with five African leaders to discuss development of rare minerals and fossil fuels. Faye suggested a new course to boost his country’s tourism would be only six hours’ flying time from New York, Miami or Europe. Trump replied that it was “nice.” “Some way to show off my skills,” Trump said.
The compliments came as Trump met at the White House with five African leaders to discuss development of rare minerals and fossil fuels.
WASHINGTON – One of five African leaders eager to engage in trade talks at the White House called President Donald Trump a “tremendous” golfer and suggested he could invest in his next course in Senegal.
The official talks got into the weeds of potential development of rare minerals and fossil fuels with Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania and Senegal. Trump had earlier reached a deal for rare earths with Ukraine in exchange for continued assistance in its war against Russia.
But Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye teed off with flattery in both foreign affairs and in sport. “I know you are a tremendous golf player,” Faye told the U.S. president who also owns some of the world’s most iconic courses. “Golf requires concentration and precision, qualities that also make for a great leader.”
Faye suggested a new course to boost his country’s tourism would be only six hours’ flying time from New York, Miami or Europe.
“So, perhaps an investment could be made in a golf course in Senegal,” Faye added. “That would be an opportunity for you to show off your skills on the golf course, too.”
Trump replied that it was “nice.”
“Some way to show off my skills,” Trump said. “It’s a long trip to show off my skill, but that’s really nice.”
The exchange followed a pattern of foreign leaders complimenting Trump.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presented Trump with a copy of a letter nominating him for a Nobel Peace Prize when they met July 7. The African leaders also said he deserved a peace prize.
Ireland’s Prime Minister Michael Martin in March praised Trump as the first president known to have invested in Ireland, through his Trump International Golf Links & Hotel in Doonbeg.
Keir Starmer, the United Kingdom’s prime minister, had golf courses and royalty in his pocket when meeting with Trump in February. Trump has two golf courses in Scotland and local authorities are preparing a possible visit later this month.
Starmer invited Trump to an unprecedented invitation for a second state visit with King Charles.
“This is really special,” Starmer said. “This is unprecedented.”
Senegal, Gabon, Liberia…Trump hosts five African leaders at White House
U.S. President Donald Trump has met with his counterparts from Senegal, Liberia, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania, and Gabon. The meeting marked the beginning of a three-day mini-summit, featuring a series of largely closed-door engagements on trade and economic cooperation.
The African leaders had lunch with Trump at the White House on Wednesday and discussed expanding commercial opportunities between the US and their respective nations.
The meeting marked the beginning of a three-day mini-summit, featuring a series of largely closed-door engagements on trade and economic cooperation, expected to run through Friday.
While details of what has been termed the “African leaders” summit are not clear, observers say the narrow selection of participants raises questions about inclusivity and representation.
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Analysts argue that inviting only five leaders out of Africa’s 54 countries sends the wrong message—particularly given the absence of regional powerhouses like Nigeria, South Africa, Egypt, and Kenya, which play key roles in shaping the continent’s political and economic direction.
Nigeria, South Africa, and Egypt are aligned with BRICS, an economic bloc that Trump has repeatedly criticised.
Earlier this week, the US president threatened that countries aligning themselves with the “anti-American policies of BRICS” would be charged an additional 10 percent tariff.
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All five African countries hosted at the White House currently face a 10 percent tariff.
Discussions could revolve around trade in critical minerals and possibly hosting deportees.
Trump Targets African Mineral Wealth at Trade Summit
US President Donald Trump met with the presidents of Senegal, Liberia, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania, and Gabon on Wednesday. The meeting aimed to enhance trade in response to the increasing influence of Russia and China. However, the talks will be overshadowed by the Trump administration’s substantial changes to the United States’ relationships with African nations. Earlier this month, the administration closed the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and announced a shift from a “charity-based model” to a focus on trade-oriented partnerships. The reduction in aid could result in over 14 million additional deaths globally by 2030.
The Trump administration is focused on strengthening economic ties with the resource-rich region while simultaneously reducing foreign aid to Africa and imposing 10 per cent tariffs on imports from these nations.
“We’re working tirelessly to forge new economic opportunities involving both the United States and many African nations,” Trump told the assembled leaders and reporters ahead of the meeting.
Conversations with the presidents of Senegal, Liberia, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania, and Gabon were anticipated to centre around business opportunities and security issues.
These discussions, held over lunch in the State Dining Room, took place as Washington sought to secure a stable supply of vital minerals.
All five of the invited countries are endowed with valuable natural resources, including manganese—a crucial component in the manufacturing of stainless steel and batteries—along with iron ore, gold, diamonds, lithium, and cobalt.
However, the talks will be overshadowed by the Trump administration’s substantial changes to the United States’ relationships with African nations.
Earlier this month, the administration closed the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and announced a shift from a “charity-based model” to a focus on trade-oriented partnerships.
West Africa is projected to be among the areas most significantly affected by the reduction in aid, which a study published in the Lancet medical journal indicates could result in over 14 million additional deaths globally by 2030.
China, the United States’ primary rival, has made significant investments in various nations that were represented at the summit, with Gabon supplying 22 per cent of the manganese used in its battery production.
US President Donald Trump (3rd L) participates in a multilateral lunch with visiting African Leaders in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on July 9, 2025. (Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP)
Meanwhile, Russia has been backing the emerging Alliance of Sahel States, which borders several of the countries involved in Wednesday’s meeting.
Security concerns are expected to take precedence during the discussions, particularly regarding international drug trafficking and immigration.
The Sahel region of West Africa has faced persistent attacks from terrorist organisations, and a series of coups has contributed to deepening political turmoil.
Individuals from this region constitute a notable proportion of the Black immigrant demographic in the United States, which experienced an almost 25 per cent increase from 2012 to 2022, reaching 4.3 million people.
Guinea-Bissau, which serves as a transit zone for cocaine trafficking from Latin America to Europe and beyond, has had difficulty in curbing drug-related activities.
Malawi Left Out as Trump Snubs Africa’s Strategic Importance, Invites Only Five Leaders to US Summit
President Donald Trump has invited only five African leaders to Washington for a closed-door meeting. The limited invitation list has raised eyebrows across the continent and among international analysts. Critics argue that the narrow scope of engagement risks alienating the broader continent. The US is increasingly concerned about China’s dominant trade and investment footprint across Africa, and analysts believe Trump is seeking to counter that influence through targeted partnerships. But critics argue that African nations left out of this new transactional order could find themselves increasingly isolated unless they reposition themselves, as Malawi has done in recent years. The White House says the meeting is intended to “explore commercial opportunities that benefit both the American people and our African partners” The meeting will take place in Washington, DC, on January 25-26, 2025, and will be open to the public and media.
The exclusive working lunch, currently in session at the White House, will bring together the presidents of Mauritania, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Senegal, and Gabon—a narrow slice of the continent’s leadership that omits not only Africa’s economic giants like Nigeria and South Africa but also smaller but geopolitically engaged nations like Malawi.
A White House official told CNN that the meeting is intended to “explore commercial opportunities that benefit both the American people and our African partners.” However, the limited invitation list has raised eyebrows across the continent and among international analysts, who view it as a glaring indicator that Trump does not regard Africa as a unified or strategic partner, but rather as a transactional platform for US interests.
“This is not engagement—it’s cherry-picking,” said Professor Christopher Afoke Isike, a leading voice in African international relations at the University of Pretoria. “Trump is targeting countries that are either politically pliable or rich in resources, and avoiding those that assert themselves independently or align with powers like China or Russia.”
Despite repeated US assertions about Africa’s economic potential, the Trump administration has steadily narrowed its diplomatic focus, particularly in comparison to its predecessors. Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden both convened full-scale summits involving nearly all African heads of state. Trump, on the other hand, has shown little interest in multilateral African engagement, having held a similar mini-summit with nine leaders in 2017—and now only five in 2025.
Observers note that the five invitees are neither continental heavyweights nor major players in pan-African politics. What they do have in common is untapped mineral wealth, strategic Atlantic access, and growing migration flows to the US—factors that fit neatly into Trump’s foreign policy agenda, which now emphasizes competition with China and efforts to stem illegal immigration.
The US is increasingly concerned about China’s dominant trade and investment footprint across Africa, and analysts believe Trump is seeking to counter that influence through targeted partnerships. But critics argue that the narrow scope of engagement—ignoring countries like Malawi, Kenya, and Ghana—risks alienating the broader continent.
Dakar-based journalist Mamadou Thior, who covered the first US–Africa Leaders’ Summit in 2014, said the nature of Trump’s engagement is unmistakable: “Trump is not looking for partners—he’s looking for deals. And only with countries he believes he can control.”
Malawi’s absence is particularly notable given its push in recent years to attract foreign investment and assert a greater presence on the diplomatic stage. Yet, its failure to appear even on the radar of this summit suggests Washington sees no strategic urgency in engaging Lilongwe—a reality that may force Malawi to re-examine its foreign policy alignment and regional standing.
“This kind of exclusion should be a wake-up call,” said a Lilongwe-based political analyst who requested anonymity. “If Malawi wants to be taken seriously, it needs to do more than just show up at donor forums. It needs a clear, assertive strategy on global partnerships, trade, and diplomacy.”
As the Trump administration moves away from traditional aid models—having already dismantled most of USAID programs in Africa—analysts warn that African nations left out of this new transactional order could find themselves increasingly isolated unless they reposition themselves.
For now, the message from Washington is clear: Africa’s strategic value to the US lies not in its collective strength, but in its resources, vulnerabilities, and geopolitical convenience—and only those who fit that mold will be invited to the table.
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