U.S. President Donald Trump has invited leaders from five African nations Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, and Senegal to the White House, signaling a strategic pivot in U.S.-Africa relations focused on trade rather than aid.
The three-day summit is expected to spotlight Trump’s “trade, not aid” doctrine, with discussions likely to cover U.S. tariffs, access to critical minerals, maritime security, migration, and counterterrorism cooperation. All five nations currently face 10% tariffs on exports to the U.S., and their leaders are keen to negotiate more favorable trade terms.
Despite not being among Africa’s largest economies, these countries hold significant geopolitical and economic value. Gabon, for example, is rich in oil, uranium, and manganese critical for battery and steel production and has been identified as a potential site for a U.S. military base along the Gulf of Guinea, a region plagued by piracy.
Liberia, still reeling from the aftermath of civil war and the Ebola epidemic, is particularly vulnerable to aid cuts under Trump’s “America First” policy. The country may consider accepting U.S. deportees as part of a broader deal to restore financial support. Guinea-Bissau seeks the reopening of the U.S. embassy in Bissau, closed since a 1998 military mutiny, and hopes to reposition itself from its former reputation as a “narco-state.”
Migration is expected to dominate talks with Mauritania and Senegal, which have become key departure points for African migrants heading to the U.S. through Latin America. Trump’s administration is concerned about rising visa overstay rates from Gabon and Liberia, and may seek tighter migration controls and deportation agreements.
Analysts say the summit underscores a new U.S. approach in Africa, aimed at securing mineral access and regional stability while countering growing Chinese and Russian influence. With the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) set to expire, and U.S. tariffs rising elsewhere as seen in May’s failed meeting with South Africa these five leaders hope to strike a deal that benefits both sides.
As former Senegalese ambassador Babacar Diagne puts it: “It’s pure trade. You sign, you get support. You don’t, you’re on your own.”
