Donald J. Trump is back in the White House. His return to the presidency has reignited global debates, media storms, and endless commentary, particularly from those outside the United States.
But nowhere is this more baffling than in Africa, where an extraordinary number of people, especially within the intellectual and political elite, remain fixated on American politics, and more specifically, on criticizing President Trump. As Africans struggle with deep-seated local challenges, economic instability, corruption, insecurity, and a fragile democratic culture, we seem more concerned with the politics of another continent than the survival of our own.
Trump’s policies may be divisive, but one thing is undeniable: he is consistent in his commitment to putting his country first. His second term has followed the same unapologetically nationalistic principles of his first. His “America First” doctrine is not mere rhetoric, it is a focused policy agenda that seeks to protect American jobs, borders, values, and sovereignty. Ironically, these are the very things many African countries desperately need, yet we continue to mock and criticize a man who is doing for his people what our leaders fail to do for us.
Instead of drawing lessons from Trump’s boldness and assertiveness, many Africans choose to demonize him. And while we chant against perceived injustice in America, we remain silent about the tyranny, bad governance, and economic sabotage happening right in our backyards. In Nigeria, for example, insecurity has reached alarming levels, and banditry, terrorism, and kidnappings are daily realities for millions. Yet the nation’s energy is often spent debating U.S. immigration policy, LGBTQ rights in Western schools, or whether President Trump should have been more diplomatic in his speeches.
Even more troubling is the embrace of external ideological narratives, especially from Western liberal institutions, without proper context or reflection. Many Africans now idolize countries and institutions that have historically undermined African sovereignty. China, once cautiously approached, is now seen as a savior despite its record of economic imperialism through predatory lending and strategic acquisitions. Meanwhile, Trump’s hard stance on China, his efforts to bring back American industries, and his call for secure borders are labeled extreme, even though similar actions would be celebrated in an African leader.
This obsessive focus on American politics, particularly in undermining Trump, has distracted us from the urgent work of fixing Africa. We have imported foreign ideological battles, joined hashtags that have nothing to do with us, and lost our sense of purpose. Our youths are being misled, our institutions are decaying, and our development goals are repeatedly postponed because we are too busy participating in someone else’s war.
The truth is, we need leaders who put their nations first. We need to stop ridiculing nationalism when it benefits others and start demanding it from our own governments. Africa’s problems won’t be solved by who wins or loses in Washington, they will be solved when we wake up to our realities and take bold steps to reform, restructure, and rebuild. The return of President Trump should not be a reason for division in Africa, but rather a moment of reflection: What are we doing to secure our continent, strengthen our economies, and demand accountability from our leaders?
While America protects its interests under a leader committed to national priorities, Africa must do the same. Our focus must return home. Let’s put Africa first. It’s time to wake up. America will always protect its own interests. So must we.
George Okoyo, an engineer, writes from Lagos
