Trump pivots to trade in rare meeting with West African leaders

In a rare diplomatic move, President Donald Trump hosted the leaders of five West African nations — Liberia, Senegal, Gabon, Mauritania, and Guinea-Bissau — at the White House on Wednesday (9 July), declaring a shift in U.S. policy from aid to trade.

The meeting comes amid deep cuts to U.S. foreign aid following the dissolution of USAID, which critics warn could result in millions of deaths across developing nations. Trump, however, emphasized “great economic potential in Africa” and positioned trade as a tool for diplomacy. “You guys are going to fight, we’re not going to trade,” he quipped, referencing a recent peace deal between Rwanda and the DRC, brokered with U.S. backing. “And we seem to be quite successful in doing that.”

The African leaders, eager to attract U.S. investment, praised Trump’s peace efforts and highlighted their countries’ natural wealth — from uranium in Mauritania to potash in Gabon. Liberia’s President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, whose country once received the highest per capita U.S. aid, expressed optimism despite the cuts, advocating for economic partnerships instead. While the leaders refrained from criticizing aid reductions, African Union officials have raised concerns about the feasibility of deeper trade under increasing U.S. tariffs and visa restrictions. Despite his praise for Africa’s “wonderful people” and “valuable land,” Trump has yet to confirm any future visit to the continent.