Former U.S. President Donald Trump has sparked controversy once again, this time mocking the small African nation of Lesotho as a country “nobody has ever heard of” while defending his drastic cuts to U.S. foreign aid.
Speaking before Congress on Tuesday, Trump listed various aid programs he deemed wasteful, highlighting an $8 million initiative aimed at supporting LGBTQI+ communities in Lesotho. Struggling to pronounce the country’s name, he quipped, “Which nobody has ever heard of,” prompting laughter from Republican lawmakers and visible grins from Vice President JD Vance and House Speaker Mike Johnson.
Lesotho, a landlocked constitutional monarchy in Southern Africa, has long benefited from U.S. support, particularly in combating its severe HIV/AIDS crisis. The U.S. has invested over $630 million in anti-HIV/AIDS initiatives in the country since 2006, alongside a recent $300 million agreement through the Millennium Challenge Corporation to boost healthcare and agricultural production.
Despite these longstanding partnerships, the Trump administration has moved to slash over 90% of U.S. foreign aid, arguing that the funds would be better used for domestic tax cuts. The former president’s second term has also seen the near-dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) under the influence of South African-born billionaire Elon Musk.
Trump’s dismissive remarks about Lesotho have drawn criticism, echoing his past controversial statements about Africa, including his infamous use of vulgar language to describe African nations during his first term.
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