President Trump signed a new executive order on Monday requiring that all commercial truck drivers in the United States be proficient in English, a move that many are questioning as unnecessary and out of touch with the real priorities facing the country.
The order highlights the important role truck drivers play in supporting the U.S. economy and serving businesses and communities across the country. It emphasizes that drivers perform “demanding and dangerous work” to keep goods moving safely and efficiently.
In March, Trump signed another executive order designating English as the country’s official language. Building on that, Monday’s order claims that English proficiency must be non-negotiable for anyone operating a commercial vehicle.
“They should be able to read and understand traffic signs, communicate with traffic safety, border patrol, agricultural checkpoints, and cargo weight-limit station officers,” the order states. It also says that drivers should be able to provide and receive directions in English from employers and customers.
“This is common sense,” the order argues.
According to the new policy, truck drivers must be able to “read and speak English sufficiently to converse with the general public” in order to legally operate a commercial vehicle within the U.S.
Trump declared that his administration will strictly enforce the policy, claiming it is necessary for public safety and for protecting American truckers, drivers, and passengers.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is tasked with issuing new guidance for testing and enforcement of English proficiency among commercial drivers. The order states that any driver who fails to meet the language standard could be placed “out-of-service.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the move during a Monday briefing, saying, “There’s a lot of communication problems between truckers on the road with federal officials and local officials, which obviously is a public safety risk.”
However, many are pointing out that passing an executive order for something like this especially when far more urgent issues such as economic instability, immigration challenges, and rising inflation dominate the national conversation makes little sense. Critics argue this move is an unnecessary distraction that doesn’t address the real problems facing American workers or the trucking industry, and that existing regulations already require sufficient communication abilities for commercial drivers.
In the eyes of many, the executive order appears more symbolic than practical, adding bureaucracy to a system that was already functioning without major communication breakdowns.