English French translation of the Trump-Zelensky Showdown
On February 28, 2025, the meeting between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House, originally intended to discuss US support for Ukraine amid Russia’s invasion, took an unexpected turn. Tensions flared when a journalist raised questions about Trump’s alleged ties to Vladimir Putin. Trump quickly shot down the insinuations, stressing that his primary concern was safeguarding American interests. Vice President J.D. Vance then suggested a diplomatic path to peace, but Zelensky fired back, pointing out Russia’s long history of aggression against Ukraine. Things escalated when Vance accused Zelensky of ingratitude towards the US. The meeting ended abruptly, with no resolution, leading to the suspension of US military aid and a sharp deterioration in diplomatic relations. The English-French translation for this event, broadcast worldwide, was provided by Atenao, a translation agency commissioned by LCI. This moment solidified Atenao’s role as a key player in this historic chapter.
Atenao, the Voice of a Historic Moment
LCI, France’s first 24-hour news channel and part of the TF1 group, brings viewers nonstop coverage of politics, the economy, culture, and world events. When it came time to broadcast the high-stakes meeting between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky, LCI made a clear choice: they asked the translation agency Atenao to handle the live English French translation. This move showed how seriously the channel takes accuracy and clear communication during major international moments. Atenao delivered an outstanding performance, offering French-speaking viewers a translation that was clear, faithful to the original, and captured both the complexity and emotion of the conversation. You can watch the full French version of the meeting on LCI’s official YouTube channel, linked below.
Bringing Trump’s Congressional Speech to French Audiences
Impressed by the quality of Atenao’s French interpreting during the Trump-Zelensky meeting, LCI decided to call on the agency once again just days later. This time, Atenao was entrusted with the live translation of Donald Trump’s speech to the US Congress on March 2, 2025. Once more, Atenao was at the heart of a major political moment, making it possible for French-speaking audiences to fully grasp both the substance and the subtleties of the US president’s message during this much-anticipated address.
The speech itself was marked by high tensions and bold declarations. Trump strongly reaffirmed his commitment to putting American interests first, while forcefully denying allegations from the press about supposed links to Vladimir Putin.
Decoding Trump for French Audiences
Translating Donald Trump into French is no ordinary task. While his language is generally simple and easy to grasp, his frequent improvisations pose a real challenge. He often jumps abruptly from one idea to another, making his unscripted remarks difficult to follow. In contrast, his prepared speeches tend to be much clearer. To make his off-the-cuff comments understandable in another language, interpreters are often required to rephrase or restructure them.
The real challenge isn’t so much linguistic as it is interpretive: conveying a spontaneous and often disjointed train of thought in a way that remains coherent and faithful to the original message. This is where the precision of English French translation becomes crucial.
Translating from English—whether British or American—into French also demands both precision and cultural adaptation. English tends to be more direct and concise, while French is more structured and nuanced. This means the translator must often expand or clarify ideas to maintain the original meaning. Syntax differences also require reworking sentence structures without losing the speaker’s intent.
Mastering these subtleties, including avoiding false friends and capturing stylistic tone, is essential for delivering a translation that feels both accurate and natural. And with a speaker like Donald Trump, that challenge becomes all the more delicate. Through their English French translation services, Atenao managed to overcome these difficulties, providing an interpretation that resonated with French-speaking audiences while staying true to the nuances of the original speech.