U.S. President Donald Trump welcomed the presidents of Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania and Senegal to the White House on 9 July for a two-day summit centred on trade, investment and security. The gathering, held over a multilateral lunch in the State Dining Room, is the first Trump-Africa meeting of his second term and reflects an effort to deepen economic ties with mineral-rich West and Central African nations amid intensifying competition from China and Russia. Opening the talks, Trump declared that Washington is “shifting from aid to trade,” saying his administration has shut down the U.S. Agency for International Development to “eliminate waste, fraud and abuse.” He praised Africa’s “great economic potential,” cited opportunities in commodities such as manganese, gold, lithium and cobalt, and said he intends to visit the continent “at some point.” A White House spokesperson described the discussions as focused on “incredible commercial opportunities” that benefit both sides. The summit comes against the backdrop of steep U.S. aid cuts and new tariffs that have unsettled many African capitals. Critics warn the retrenchment could strain countries that have long relied on American health and development programmes; the administration argues that market-driven partnerships will prove more sustainable. Trump’s outreach follows a separate U.S.-brokered peace accord between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda signed at the White House on 27 June. Taken together, the initiatives signal a broader push by Washington to re-engage on the continent through diplomacy and commerce rather than traditional assistance.