Trump to Make English Official Language of US

President Donald Trump is set to sign an executive order that will make English the official language of the U.S., Fox News Digital confirmed on Friday morning.

People in the U.S. communicate in more than 350 languages.

Trump will sign an executive order on Friday rescinding a 2000 mandate from Bill Clinton that required federal agencies and recipients of federal funding to provide language assistance to non-English speakers, a White House official told Fox Digital.

This raises questions about language services, especially in states like New York, where there are over three million foreign-born residents who speak more than 200 languages.

The move has many wondering how this will affect access to services for non-English speakers.

Trump has previously mentioned making English the nation's language, including in 2024 as he railed against the Biden administration's immigration policies.

"We have languages coming into our country. We don’t have one instructor in our entire nation that can speak that language," Trump said while speaking before the Conservative Political Action Conference in 2024. "These are languages—it’s the craziest thing—they have languages that nobody in this country has ever heard of. It’s a very horrible thing."

The order is intended to celebrate multilingual Americans who have learned English and passed it down to their family members, while also "empowering immigrants" to reach the American dream via a common language, Fox Digital learned.

Here's everything to know official languages in the U.S.:

What is the official language U.S.?

The United States does not have an official language. English is the most widely used language in the U.S., and some states designate it as their official language.

As of now, the United States does not have a federally recognized official language according to usa.gov.

While English is the dominant language spoken throughout the country, the federal government has never formally declared it as the official language.

States like California and Arizona, have passed laws designating English as their official language.

Does New York have an official language?

According to the State of New York, the state is home to over 3 million foreign-born residents from more than 200 countries, and is one of the most diverse places in the world.

Nearly half of all New Yorkers speak a language other than English at home, and about 1.8 million people are not English-proficient.

Language Assistance Services in New York

The New York State Office of Language Access oversees and coordinates language access efforts across state agencies.

In April 2022, New York Governor Kathy Hochul expanded the statewide language access policy to improve accessibility for LEP individuals.

The Office of Language Access, part of the Office of General Services, also manages the State contract that allows agencies to access interpretation and translation services

Language services in New York City

In Feb. 2017, the City Council passed Local Law No. 30, requiring City agencies to provide services for limited English speakers.

The Department of City Planning created a Language Access Plan to ensure these residents can access vital services.

In compliance with Local Law No. 30, the Department of City Planning developed a Language Access Plan that seeks to ensure access to our most vital services.

What are the most popular languages spoken in the U.S.?

People in the U.S. communicate in more than 350 languages.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, some of the most widely spoken languages other than English are Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, and Arabic.

People in the U.S. also speak Native North American languages such as Navajo, Yupik, Dakota, Apache, Keres, and Cherokee, among others. Learn more about the native languages of North America.