The President of the United States, President Donald Trump will welcome five African leaders to a White House lunch today, Wednesday 9th of July 2025 to discuss commerce and trade in addition to other issues.
According to reports from AFP, the presidents of Senegal, Liberia, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania and Gabon — five nations located along Africa’s Atlantic Coast — will convene at Trump’s behest.
Officials from the countries who spoke to AFP said that they expect talks to centre on trade, investment and security, amongst other topics as they meet in the executive mansion’s State Dining Room.
The meeting comes as the Trump administration is focused on tariffs and trade deals, and as it seeks to ensure a stable supply of critical minerals.
However, these five nations lack the extreme mineral wealth of other African countries, such as the Democratic Republic of Congo.
This draws questions as to the true intentions of the meeting with these African leaders.
The gathering additionally takes place just days after the Trump administration celebrated the formal shuttering of the US foreign aid agency USAID, trumpeting the move as an end to the “charity-based model”.
Not forgetting that China and Russia have made major incursions into the region recently, including countries that share borders with the junta-led Alliance of Sahel States(AES).
The US’ interest in these countries and scheduled meetings is reportedly not scheduled to appear before the press.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt shared few details about the meeting when she told a briefing on Monday only that Trump would “host leaders of five African nations for lunch” in the State Dining Room.
It was reported that last month, in an internal memo, Gabon, Liberia, Mauritania and Senegal were among 36 nations that the United States is considering adding to a travel ban barring entry to its territory.
