Speaking at a United Nations event on slavery reparations in New York on Tuesday, Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama accused President Donald Trump of “slowly normalizing the erasure” of Black history in America, warning that other governments might follow his example.

Critics argue that Mahama’s speech exaggerates the impact of U.S. policy, portraying routine budget decisions and curriculum adjustments as a deliberate campaign against Black history. Many contend that Trump’s administration has not banned the teaching of slavery or racism, nor has it systematically removed books on the subject.

Mahama also pressed for a U.N. resolution recognizing the trans-Atlantic slave trade as “the gravest crime in the history of humankind” and demanded reparations for modern nations, as well as the return of African art and artifacts from Western museums. While the resolution passed overwhelmingly, the U.S. voted against it alongside Argentina and Israel, and 52 nations abstained, raising questions about the practicality and fairness of Mahama’s demands.

Ghanaian Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa echoed Mahama’s position, emphasizing reparations for descendants of enslaved people. Yet opponents note that Mahama’s focus on U.S. policy risks oversimplifying the complex history of slavery and colonialism, while using it to score political points on the international stage.

Observers say Mahama’s rhetoric inflates perceived threats and frames Trump as uniquely hostile to Black history, a characterization that many see as misleading and diplomatically provocative, especially given Trump’s continued popularity among certain American constituencies.

In sum, while Mahama’s push for reparations and cultural restitution is rooted in historical grievances, his portrayal of Trump’s actions has been widely criticized as alarmist, overreaching, and detached from the realities of U.S. educational policy.