President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Saturday designating English as the official language of the United States. The order allows government agencies and organizations that receive federal funding to choose whether to continue offering documents and services in languages other than English.
The executive order rescinds a mandate from former President Bill Clinton that required the government and federally funded organizations to provide language assistance to non-English speakers.
The order states that establishing English as the official language will streamline communication, reinforce shared national values, and create a more cohesive and efficient society. It also emphasizes that encouraging the learning and adoption of English will help new Americans integrate into society, participate in national traditions, and contribute to the community.
According to U.S. English, a group advocating for English as the official language, more than 30 states have already passed laws designating English as their official language.
Efforts to designate English as the official language of the U.S. have been ongoing in Congress for decades but have not succeeded.
Shortly after Trump's inauguration, the Spanish language version of the official White House website was taken down, causing confusion and frustration among Hispanic advocacy groups and others. The White House initially stated its commitment to restoring the Spanish language version but as of Saturday, it remains offline.
During his first term, Trump had also shut down the Spanish version of the website, which was later restored when President Joe Biden took office in 2021.
