President Donald Trump is reportedly set to sign an executive order establishing English as the official language of the United States of America. This move would rescind a federal mandate issued by President Bill Clinton that required agencies and recipients of federal funding to provide language assistance to non-English speakers. While agencies will still have the flexibility to offer documents and services in languages other than English, the goal of this order, as outlined in a White House summary, is to promote unity, enhance government efficiency, and encourage civic engagement.
The exact timing of Trump’s signing of the order remains unclear, but it is noted that English is already the official language in over 30 states across the country. Polling conducted by Rasmussen Reports has consistently shown strong support for English as the nation’s official language. In a recent survey of 1,000 American adults conducted on April 6-7, 2022, 78 percent of respondents expressed support for English as the official language, with only 14 percent opposing the idea.
This marks an increase in support compared to previous years, with 73 percent backing the idea in April 2021 and over 80 percent in favor back in April 2018. The margin of error for these polls was around three percentage points.
The move towards establishing English as the official language comes amidst ongoing discussions about language use and national identity. Notably, the issue gained attention during the 2015 presidential campaign when then-GOP candidate Jeb Bush’s use of Spanish prompted criticism from Trump, who emphasized the importance of speaking English while in the United States.
As debates around language policy continue, the forthcoming executive order by President Trump is poised to reignite discussions on the role of English in American society and its implications for diversity and inclusion.