Americans are divided over the fact that English has been deemed the official language of the United States under the new Trump administration.
U.S. citizens throughout the country told Fox News Digital this month what they think about President Donald Trump’s recent executive order to make English the official language in America. While many found the mandate to be a no-brainer, others said it flies in the face of America’s diversity.
“I disagree with that. I think we’re a melting pot,” Shane, a Kentucky resident, said. “I mean, this is how the country was built hundreds of years ago – it was based on a group of people from different nations coming in to form this country.”
Trump signed the executive order on March 1, marking the first time that the U.S. has ever had an official language.
The text of Trump’s order stated, “A nationally designated language is at the core of a unified and cohesive society, and the United States is strengthened by a citizenry that can freely exchange ideas in one shared language.”
The order added that an official language is intended to “promote unity” and “cultivate a shared American culture for all citizens,” while ensuring consistency in government operations and creating a pathway to civic engagement.
About 180 of the 195 countries across the globe have already set their own official languages.
Steve from Birmingham, Mich., told Fox he thinks Trump is “100 percent absolutely correct” to sign the order, noting that there “should be no other language” officially designated.
Junior, a Mexican-American living in Houston, said he respects the order.
“I’m Mexican, but I’m American and this is America, you know what mean? So America, it’s English, you know what I mean?” he said.
However, Mary in Washington, D.C., said, “I don’t think that’s fair.”
“I think that we need to be multicultural, and I think that the more diversity we have, the more beautiful the land is, the more enriched we can be by learning something else about someone else,” she said.
Michigan resident David shared Mary’s viewpoint, stating, “I think there is no official language for a reason. We’re a polyglot country. We have nothing but immigrants from all over the world.”
He argued that when the U.S. Constitution was ratified, “there were probably 40 to 50 languages being spoken in the United States.”
Darryl from Houston said, “I think English should always have been the official language of the United States.”
Tennessee native Glen was less opinionated on the subject, stating, “Hard to say, really. I don’t know that I necessarily agree with that, because we have people from all different nationalities. So, I don’t have any strong thoughts on that one way or the other.”
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Lindy and Trudy – two friends from Houston – slammed the executive order.
“I think it’s wrong,” Linda said. “We’re not there. I think we were there, you know, in the 1950s. You know, or at least that’s what everyone grew up – my generation grew up thinking that. But it’s just not a reality in today’s world.”
Trudy added, “I think we are a mixed nation of diverse people, and we have to face the fact that not everyone is going to speak English.”
When asked if he supported the order, Howard from North Carolina told Fox, “Yes.”
Jay from Knoxville, Tenn., appeared to indicate he supported the order, though he expressed openness to cultural diversity in the U.S.
“I would prefer that everybody speaks English, but I also am respectful of people and their cultures and their languages when they come to America,” he said.
Charles, a Mississippi man touring D.C., was forceful in his defense of the order, stating, “You know, we’re Americans. English is our language.”