President Donald Trump has signed an executive order designating English as the official language of the United States, a move he says will promote national unity. The order, published on Saturday, overturns a 1990s-era mandate that required federal agencies to provide assistance in multiple languages.
“A nationally designated language is at the core of a unified and cohesive society,” the executive order states. “It is long past time for English to be officially recognized as our nation’s primary language.”
While agencies will still have discretion in offering multilingual support, the new directive removes federal requirements to accommodate non-English speakers. Critics argue that the order marginalizes immigrant communities, while supporters hail it as a step toward reinforcing American identity.
The decision is expected to face legal challenges, particularly from civil rights groups advocating for language access in government services.
