THE people of Lesotho were shocked after United States of America President Donald Trump stated in Congress that “nobody has ever heard of” the country.
Lesotho’s Foreign Minister, Lejone Mpotjoane condemned the remark, calling it inappropriate for a head of state, especially considering the U.S. has an embassy in Lesotho.
“Visit Lesotho and Experience Elevation, Experience Lesotho”.
“I invite the rest of the world that has not set foot on this Majestic Land to come and breathe the fresh air and taste the clean water of the Mountain Kingdom.
“Lesotho shall never be the same🇱🇸🇱🇸🇱🇸,”, Honourable Mpotjoane wrote via his official Facebook page.
The comment, made during a speech on foreign aid, also referenced an $8 million LGBTQI+ initiative in Lesotho, which prompted laughter from the audience.
“We are not taking this matter lightly,” Mpotjoane said, adding that they would send an official protest letter to Washington.
The country’s main LGBTQ rights organisation denied receiving funds from Washington, and which exact programme Trump was referring to remained unclear on Wednesday.
“We are literally not receiving grants from the US”, People’s Matrix spokesperson Tampose Mothopeng said.
“We have no idea of the allocation of eight million [dollars]” he said. The US government foreign assistance website did not list any financial support for LGBTQ rights in Lesotho, a nation of 2.3 million people. Instead, it indicated that about $120m had been spent on “health and population” programmes in the country in 2024, including $43.5m to tackle HIV/Aids.
Trump on Tuesday surmised the Kingdom of Lesotho as a country “nobody has ever heard of”, as he defended his sweeping cuts in aid.
Trump highlighted the landlocked African constitutional monarchy during an address to Congress as he gave a long list of past US aid projects.
“Eight million dollars to promote LGBTQI+ in the African nation of Lesotho,” Trump said, struggling with the pronunciation.
“Which nobody has ever heard of,” Trump added, as Republican lawmakers laughed and Vice President JD Vance and Speaker Mike Johnson grinned behind him.
Lesotho has one of the highest rates of HIV/AIDS in the world which the United States has sought to address by providing medication and other social support, including raising awareness among sexual minorities who face stigma.
The United States has committed more than $630 million since 2006 to anti-HIV/AIDS efforts in Lesotho, according to the US Embassy there.
The United States last year also signed a $300-million deal to promote health and crop production in Lesotho through the Millennium Challenge Corporation, which awards US funding to developing countries that meet standards of democracy and good governance.
The Trump administration on returning to office has cancelled more than 90 percent of US foreign assistance, saying it is not in the US interest and that the money would better go to tax cuts.
Eighteen-Eleven Media