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. Musk's engagement underscores the country's potential in embracing modern connectivity solutions.
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 retorted, “He should speak for himself,” extending an invitation for Trump to visit the “Kingdom in the Sky,” 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,” Mpotjoane said.
Nonetheless, Trump's jab has proved a catalyst. Online searches for Lesotho spiked by more than 150 per cent 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, one of South Africa’s 11 official languages, 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 meters.
Lesotho, a constitutional monarchy entirely encircled by South Africa, is no stranger to US engagement.
The US has invested more than $630 million since 2006 in combating HIV-Aids, a crisis affecting 22 per cent of Lesotho’s adult population.
While Trump’s remarks stung, Lesotho’s government has
turned the spotlight into a diplomatic opening.
Mpotjoane extended an invitation for Trump to visit, highlighting the capital’s golf course near the US Embassy and the country’s snow-capped peaks — a nod to its ‘Kingdom in the Sky’ moniker.
The incident underscores a broader trend of African nations leveraging digital platforms to redefine global perceptions.
Similar to Ghana’s ‘Year of Return’ campaign, which spurred a 45 per cent surge in diaspora visits, Lesotho could very well use the newfound fame to turbocharge its tourism industry, which contributes just 4 per cent to GDP.
