By Seth Onyango, bird story agency
US President Donald Trump’s recent quip about Lesotho as a nation “nobody has ever heard of” has inadvertently catapulted the small African kingdom into the global limelight.
An offhand remark by US President Donald Trump about Lesotho has unwittingly ignited a surge of curiosity and travel interest in the tiny southern African nation.
During a March 4 address to Congress, Trump quipped that “nobody has ever heard of” Lesotho while criticising an $8 million aid allocation for LGBTQ+ initiatives, a claim swiftly rebuked by the country’s officials.
But within hours, hashtags like #LesothoExists, #DiscoverLesotho and #KingdomInTheSky surged globally, as netizens countered the remark with breathtaking photos of its jagged peaks, cascading waterfalls, and vibrant cultural traditions.
Netizens have also quickly pointed out that Trump’s backer billionaire Elon Musk, the head of the new Department of Government Efficiency, is currently seeking a licence to provide internet services in Lesotho.
Musk’s Starlink, a subsidiary of SpaceX, has applied for a licence to operate in Lesotho, aiming to provide satellite internet services to the region.
Lesotho’s government expressed shock at Trump’s remarks, noting the US maintains an embassy in its capital, Maseru, and that the two nations share a trade relationship exceeding $240 million annually, largely driven by textile exports under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa).
Foreign Minister Lejone Mpotjoane commented, “He should speak for himself,” extending an invitation for Trump to visit the country, renowned for its dramatic highland vistas and villages accessible only by horseback or light aircraft.
“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,” said Mpotjoane.
Nonetheless, Trump’s jab has proved a catalyst. Online searches for Lesotho spiked by over 150% within 48 hours of Trump’s speech, according to Google Trends data.
Social media users have since shared videos of the country’s snow-capped Maloti Mountains, traditional Basotho blankets adorned with symbolic patterns, and the iconic mokorotlo hat – a national emblem featured on its flag.
Viral TikTok clips of locals singing in Sesotho have racked up millions of views, while Instagram feeds brimmed with photos of Afriski, sub-Saharan Africa’s highest ski resort, perched at 3,222 metres.
/bird story agency
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