WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump is set to sign an executive order declaring English the official language of the United States, according to a source familiar with the matter.
The timing of the order remains unclear, but the move was first reported by The Wall Street Journal.
If signed, the order would mark the first time the U.S. has adopted an official language at the federal level.
While the U.S. has never formally designated an official language, the topic has long been a flashpoint in cultural and political debates.
Several states have enacted laws declaring English as their official language, while others have grappled with tensions over multilingualism in public spaces.
The use of Spanish, in particular, has stirred controversy.
In Texas, a state with deep historical ties to Mexico, language has been a battleground.
In 2011, a state senator insisted that an immigrant rights activist speak English, rather than Spanish, during a legislative hearing, reigniting debates about linguistic identity.
For many older Mexican Americans, the issue is deeply personal.
Some recall being punished for speaking Spanish in schools during the 1950s, a painful chapter in the broader struggle for cultural recognition and civil rights.
Trump’s expected executive order could fuel further debate over national identity, immigration, and the role of language in American society.
