Trump, South Africa’s Ramaphosa to Meet Amid White Farmer Tensions/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ South African President Cyril Ramaphosa visits the White House to ease tensions with Donald Trump. The U.S. president has accused South Africa of allowing a “genocide” against white farmers. Ramaphosa seeks to correct the narrative and stabilize bilateral ties.
Trump-Ramaphosa Meeting Quick Looks
- Ramaphosa visits White House to salvage strained U.S.-South Africa ties.
- Trump accuses South Africa of enabling a “genocide” against white farmers.
- South Africa rejects the claims as misinformation and racially biased.
- Trump halted U.S. aid and welcomed Afrikaner refugees under a new program.
- The White House may push Ramaphosa to condemn anti-white rhetoric.
- Elon Musk’s Starlink license denial adds to trade and race tensions.
- Critics fear Ramaphosa may be publicly rebuked or “Zelenskyy’d” by Trump.
- Ramaphosa says South Africans “never humiliated,” remains optimistic.
- Talks expected to include trade barriers, race-based business laws, and security.
- Affirmative action laws in South Africa called “discriminatory” by U.S. officials.
- Trump and Rubio assert that racial bias and crime target white farmers.
Deep Look: Ramaphosa Seeks Reset with Trump After ‘Genocide’ Rift
WASHINGTON — May 21, 2025 — South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House on Wednesday in an effort to repair what many see as the most fragile U.S.-South Africa relationship since the end of apartheid.
The high-stakes diplomatic visit follows weeks of Trump administration accusations that the South African government has enabled a “genocide” against white Afrikaner farmers, including land seizures and racially motivated violence — claims strongly denied by the South African government.
A Visit Framed by Tension
Trump’s remarks began earlier this year with a Truth Social post accusing South Africa’s Black-led government of human rights abuses, and escalated into an executive order suspending U.S. assistance to the country.
Most controversially, Trump claimed a “massive genocide” was underway and announced the U.S. would begin accepting white South Africans as refugees. Administration officials said the effort could expand into a larger relocation program.
South Africa Pushes Back
“We are not seizing land. There is no genocide,” said South African Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen, who is white and part of Ramaphosa’s delegation.
South African officials argue that violent crimes affect all races, and that Black farmers are also victims.
Experts in Johannesburg warn that Trump’s rhetoric is destabilizing and “fuels a narrative long promoted by white supremacists abroad.”
“Kill the Farmer” Chant and Musk’s Role
One expected flashpoint is South Africa’s lack of condemnation for a controversial anti-apartheid protest chant — “Kill the farmer, shoot the Boer” — used by a fringe opposition party. U.S. officials want it labeled as hate speech.
South African-born Elon Musk, a vocal Trump ally, has amplified the issue, accusing South Africa’s government of anti-white discrimination, including blocking his Starlink business from launching due to the country’s Black ownership quotas.
While South Africa says Starlink simply never applied for a license, Bloomberg reported that officials may ease regulations for Musk in a bid to calm tensions.
Ramaphosa: “We Hold Our Heads High”
Fears that the visit could devolve into a public humiliation — similar to Trump’s scolding of Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy — have made headlines in South Africa.
Asked directly whether he feared being “Zelenskyy’d,” Ramaphosa replied:
“South Africans are never humiliated, are they? South Africans always go into everything holding their heads high.”
Rubio Backs Genocide Claim, Cites Refugee Support
Secretary of State Marco Rubio backed Trump’s genocide assertion in a CBS interview, citing multiple attacks on white farmers and reports of “forced removals.”
He said the administration would continue to support Afrikaner asylum claims, and that farm killings in South Africa represent a “priority crime” under U.S. review.
South Africa counters that violent crime is a nationwide crisis, not racially targeted, and that Trump’s framing is racially inflammatory.
U.S. Trade Pressure and Business Quotas
Ramaphosa is also expected to face U.S. pressure on South Africa’s Black Economic Empowerment laws, which require foreign companies to have 30% Black ownership.
Trump officials call the law a “discriminatory trade barrier” and are pushing for exemptions for American firms, including Musk’s companies.
The White House sees these laws as blocking investment, even as South Africa defends them as essential to reversing apartheid-era inequality.
No Aid, No Peace
Following the suspension of U.S. aid, South Africa’s economic growth and international credibility are at risk.
Analysts say that unless relations improve, Trump could escalate pressure through tariffs, visa restrictions, and sanctions on officials tied to what the administration views as “racialized governance.”
You must Register or Login to post a comment.