Trump Signs Executive Order Designating English as Official Language of the United States.

On Saturday (March 1), President Trump signed an executive order declaring English as the official language of the United States. The aim of this move is to promote national unity, enhance government operational efficiency, and emphasize the importance of English as the common language in American society.

According to the executive order issued by the White House, English will become the sole official language of the United States to ensure consistency in the operation of government institutions and provide a unified cultural and communication foundation for all citizens.

President Trump stated in the declaration that historical documents such as the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were written in English, and English has long been the country’s primary language, thus should be formally established as its official language. The Trump administration believes that a common language can enhance social cohesion, enabling citizens to communicate more effectively and participate in national affairs.

The order emphasizes that learning English can help new immigrants better integrate into society, improve economic opportunities, and encourage their participation in American traditions and civic activities. Furthermore, this policy not only underscores the importance of English but also recognizes the contributions of multilingual American citizens to the country.

The signing of this order simultaneously revokes the Executive Order 13166 issued by the Clinton administration in 2000 (“Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency”), which eliminated the mandatory requirement for federal agencies to provide multilingual services. Each agency can now decide independently whether to continue offering non-English services. The Department of Justice will be responsible for updating the relevant policies to align with the new order.

The Trump administration emphasizes that establishing English as the official language does not mean restricting the use of other languages but aims to promote national unity, simplify government operations, and encourage new immigrants to learn English for better integration into American society.

The rollout of this policy has elicited various reactions. Conservative political activist Charlie Kirk wrote on social media, “This is significant. In an era of large-scale immigration, emphasizing English as the language of America sends a signal of national unity.”

According to the Associated Press, the non-partisan non-profit organization APIAVote, which focuses on helping Asian American and Pacific Islander communities register to vote, believes that this measure could pose a barrier for millions of voters, such as naturalized citizens or elderly residents with limited English proficiency.

“This will make it more difficult for them to participate in civic activities and voting, and will also affect their access to crucial healthcare, economic, and educational resources,” the organization stated in a press release.

Currently, over 30 states in the United States have enacted legislation designating English as the official language, but at the federal level, this issue remains highly controversial.

Although the executive order does not mandate government agencies to immediately cease providing multilingual services, each agency will make corresponding adjustments based on policy changes.

With the implementation of this executive order, discussions on English as the sole official language are expected to intensify, and the execution and development of future policies will be closely watched by various sectors.