Africa’s Opportunity in the Trumpian Age of American Transactionalism

Amid Trump’s disruptive return, Africa isn’t just reacting—it’s recalibrating. The continent has the opportunity to turn Washington’s unpredictability into a strategic advantage.

Written by Andréa Ngombet

May 22, 2025

Photo illustration by Ezinne Osueke / THE REPUBLIC. Source Ref: Donald Trump / Gage Skidmore.⁠ Norman B. Leventhal Map Center / FLICKR.

As the dust settles following Donald Trump’s return to the White House in January 2025, Africa finds itself navigating an increasingly convoluted and complex relationship with the United States. The early months of Trump’s second administration have already demonstrated significant policy shifts affecting the continent, from aid suspensions to multilateral withdrawals. Understanding these developments requires examination of the historical foundations of Africa–US relations, the legacies of previous administrations, and the emerging contours of Trump’s renewed approach to the continent.

HISTORICAL FOUNDATIONS: THE UNITED STATES’ COMPLEX AFRICAN LEGACY

The relationship between Africa and the United States has deep historical roots. Following the American Civil War (1861–1865), African Americans played noteworthy roles in US military through the Buffalo Soldiers regiments formed in 1866. American Plains Indians who fought against these soldiers referred to the Black cavalry troops as ‘buffalo soldiers’ because of their dark, curly hair, which resembled a buffalo’s coat, and because of their fierce fighting nature. These regiments not only served in military campaigns but also became some of the first caretakers of America’s national parks, demonstrating early Black American contributions to both national security and environmental conservation.

Perhaps the most direct early American involvement in Africa came through the establishment of Liberia. In 1847, a group of eleven signatories declared Liberia an independent nation after American colonization societies had sent freed slaves to settle there. The United States maintained what historians describe as a ‘moral protectorate’ over Liberia, intervening when threats to Liberian sovereignty emerged, while declining formal colonial status. This relationship would become emblematic of America’s complex engagement with Africa—supportive yet often paternalistic.

American involvement in anti-colonial struggles has a similarly mixed history. A notable example is American writer Mark Twain’s campaign against King Leopold II of Belgium’s brutal colonization of the Congo. Twain wrote King Leopold’s Soliloquy in 1905, satirically portraying Leopold as guilty of atrocities, while the Belgian king’s agents countered with propaganda claiming Twain was spreading lies. Twain represented an American voice against European colonialism, though official US policy was often more circumspect regarding European colonization.

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About the Author

Andréa Ngombet

Andrea Ngombet is a civil society leader and founder of the Sassoufit Collective, which advocates for democracy and the rule of law in the Republic of the Congo. He is a member of the International Coalition for Democratic Renewal and has been recognized as both a Reagan-Fascell Fellow and a Stanford Draper Hill Fellow. He is a finalist for the 2025 Allard Prize for International Integrity, honoring his work against corruption. Ngombet holds a bachelor's degree in history from Sorbonne Paris IV University and has written various works, including a book on how China facilitates Congo-Brazzaville's kleptocratic regime.

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