Official: Mandatory English language exams for this job, so popular among Cubans in the United States.

An executive order signed by Donald Trump imposes new requirements, including mandatory English language proficiency tests.

Trump signs new "public safety" measure

US President Donald Trump signed this luneThis is an executive order requiring truck drivers across the country to demonstrate their English proficiency. The measure, according to the White House, seeks to strengthen highway safety and ensure better communication with authorities.

The decree establishes that the Department of Transportation must administer language proficiency tests to commercial vehicle drivers, one of the most common job sectors.unes among Cuban migrants in the country.

White House Arguments

“The policy is common sense,” presidential spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said during a press conference in Washington. “There are too many communication problems between truckers and local or federal authorities, and that poses a risk to public safety,” she asserted.

The executive order recalls that a federal law already exists requiring truck drivers to be able to “read and speak English sufficiently to understand signs, respond to official requests, converse with the public, and make log entries.”

However, Trump believes that these regulations "have not been enforced for years" and that this has made the roads "less safe."

Licenses issued by the states will be reviewed

The signed text also mandates a review of commercial driver's licenses issued in each state to detect unusual patterns or possible irregularities in the issuance of permits.

In addition, there is a call to strengthen control protocols in state agencies to ensure compliance with the new language requirements.

Divided reactions in the sector

The National Trucking Association has expressed its disagreement with the government's approach. In a recent publication, the organization denied that there has been a significant increase in foreign drivers posing a risk on the country's roads.

"Those repeating this claim need to better understand how data from the federal motor carrier system is collected and interpreted," the association said.

Still, the executive order is already in effect and represents a major change in one of the most common jobs.unes between Cuban migrants and other nationalities in the United States.

Trump signs executive order to ensure US truckers are fluent in English. https://t.co/gno6Mgnp7U

— The New Herald (@elnuevoherald) May 5, 2025