Trump told aides Buhari “lifeless” after April meeting

Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari greets US President Donald Trump when the duo met in White House on April 30, 2018. [Photo: Courtesy]

US President Donald Trump is mired in yet another round of controversy as he hosts Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta at the White House on Monday.

Hours away from his 20-minute long meeting with Mr Kenyatta, the western media has retrieved another skeleton from Mr Trump’s closet.

 It has now emerged that Trump referred to Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari as ‘lifeless’ after their April 2018 meeting.

An exclusive commentary by the Financial Times titled “Africa looks for something new out of Donald Trump” published today reads: “The first meeting, with Nigeria’s ailing 75-year-old Muhammadu Buhari in April, ended with the US president telling aides he never wanted to meet someone so lifeless again, according to three people familiar with the matter.”

With security and trade being the focal points of discussion, analysts quoted in the article say the Trump-Kenyatta meeting may be something different.

They believe that Kenyan leader, being younger and urbane, will offer something different.

 The paper quotes Joshua Meservey who is a policy analyst with Africa at the Heritage Foundation saying that there is more optimistism this time round.

He is quoted saying: “Presidents Trump and Kenyatta have a pretty warm relationship which can hopefully pave the way for more engagement with Kenya and the rest of Africa.”

Despite believing that Trump will consider Uhuru as a prospective torch bearer for the continent he once described in derogatory terms; the outcome remains uncertain.

Everything is possible with Trump. Just a few days ago, Trump cluelessly delved into the land issue in South Africa, tapped his embassy to investigate the issues of ‘assault against native white South Africans.’

What ensued was a rebuke from President Cyril Romaphosa’s government, describing Trump as someone ‘misinformed.