After 250 years, US to adopt English as official language

This marks the first time in the nation's history that a federal language has been officially designated.

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President Donald Trump is set to sign an executive order making English the official language of the United States, marking the first time in the nation's history that a federal language will be officially designated.

While the White House has not disclosed a specific date for the signing, the order was first reported by the Wall Street Journal.

For nearly 250 years, the US has never had an official language at the federal level, though some individual states have adopted English as their official language.

Trump's decision aligns with his longstanding stance against illegal immigration, which has been a cornerstone of both his presidential campaigns.

The president has also strongly advocated for the use of English in public life. In 2015, during his first campaign, Trump famously criticized Republican rival Jeb Bush for speaking Spanish, declaring, "We’re a nation that speaks English."

The executive order will overturn a policy introduced under Democratic President Bill Clinton, which required federal agencies and recipients of federal funds to offer language assistance to non-English speakers.

Trump's action is part of his broader agenda to limit illegal immigration, including an executive order that prevents federal funds from supporting undocumented migrants.

Currently, 32 US states have declared English as their official language, according to ProEnglish, an advocacy group. The debate over language, particularly Spanish, has been contentious in states like Texas, where the use of Spanish in public settings has sparked disputes.

In 2011, a Texas state senator controversially demanded that an immigrant rights activist speak in English, reigniting discussions over the appropriateness of speaking Spanish in the state, which was once part of Mexico and the Spanish Empire.

For many older Mexican-American Texans, the language issue is deeply personal, evoking painful memories of a time when speaking Spanish in schools was often punished—a practice that continued into the 1950s.