HARARE, Zimbabwe — When U.S. President Donald Trump met five African leaders in Washington in July, his lack of familiarity with the continent was on display. He praised Liberian President Joseph Boakai’s English – Liberia’s official language – and gestured at another leader to wrap up remarks. But the bigger takeaway was Trump’s pledge to transform U.S.-Africa relations: a shift from aid to trade, even as the region reels from steep tariffs and sweeping aid cuts.
African leaders offered minerals from manganese to uranium and possibly lithium. Senegal’s president even sought to leverage Trump’s love of golf by inviting him to build a course. Yet many nations are anxious about Washington’s new path.
After slashing billions in foreign aid, including shutting down the U.S. Agency for International Development – which provided over $12 billion in humanitarian assistance in 2025 alone – the Trump administration says it is forging a new