Lesotho’s foreign minister, Lejone Mpotjoane, has condemned recent remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump, calling them “shocking” and “insulting” after Trump claimed that “nobody has ever heard” of the African nation. In an address to Congress on Tuesday, Trump criticized U.S. foreign aid spending, citing $8 million allocated to promote LGBTQI+ rights in Lesotho as an example of “appalling waste,” drawing laughter from the audience.
“I’m really shocked that my country can be referred to like that by the head of state,” Mpotjoane told Reuters on Wednesday. “Lesotho is such a significant and unique country in the whole world. I would be happy to invite the president, as well as the rest of the world, to come to Lesotho.” The mountainous nation of about 2 million people, completely surrounded by South Africa, is renowned for its natural beauty and is often called The Kingdom in the Sky due to its high altitude—the lowest point standing at 1,400 meters (4,593 feet), the highest of any country globally.
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Lesotho’s reliance on U.S. aid has been substantial, particularly in health and agriculture. According to Mpotjoane, the funding cut has significantly impacted the country’s health sector, which has long depended on U.S. assistance. However, he acknowledged that Trump’s decision to slash aid aligns with the “America First” policy.
