Trump’s Tariff-Laden Africa Policy Faces Backlash \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ President Trump promotes a trade-focused shift in U.S.-Africa relations, replacing traditional aid programs. While early business deals are being touted, tariffs have devastated African industries and jobs. With AGOA’s future uncertain, many nations question Trump’s long-term intentions on the continent.
Quick Looks
- Trump met five African leaders, promising trade-based partnerships.
- Praised Liberia’s English, raising concerns about his regional knowledge.
- U.S. slashed $12B in aid, pivoted to “commercial diplomacy.”
- Ambassadors now judged by deals, not aid programs.
- Africa’s trade with U.S. remains under 1%, but future market potential is high.
- $6B in deals signed; $2.5B pledged at U.S.-Africa summit.
- Tariffs on African goods cause major job losses.
- AGOA expires soon with no clear renewal plan.
- China expands duty-free access to African exports.
- Fears grow over economic retaliation and long-term U.S. motives.
Deep Look
When U.S. President Donald Trump hosted five African leaders in Washington this month, the meeting was intended to reset the tone of U.S.-Africa relations. Yet, even as he praised Liberian President Joseph Boakai’s English — despite English being Liberia’s official language — and hurried another leader through their remarks, Trump’s limited familiarity with the continent was evident. Still, what stole the spotlight wasn’t a diplomatic misstep, but a bold policy shift: the formal embrace of a “trade not aid” approach toward Africa.
This pivot comes after President Trump oversaw sweeping aid cuts — including the closure of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which delivered more than $12 billion in humanitarian assistance in 2024 alone. In its place, the administration has unveiled what it calls “commercial diplomacy.” Trade, rather than development assistance, will now define America’s engagement with Africa.
“It is now truly our policy for Africa,” said Troy Fitrell, the Biden-appointed but Trump-retained U.S. Ambassador for Africa, during a May announcement in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Ambassadors, Fitrell explained, will be assessed based on the business deals they secure and their support for U.S. commercial interests, rather than humanitarian initiatives.
Africa currently accounts for less than 1% of U.S. goods trade, but with its population and consumer base expected to grow significantly, the Trump administration sees vast untapped potential. Fitrell projected that Africa’s purchasing power could exceed $16 trillion by 2050 — a compelling incentive for U.S. investment.
Trump’s team proudly cited early successes: within his first 100 days of this new Africa policy, 33 commercial deals valued at $6 billion were signed. An additional $2.5 billion in commitments emerged from the U.S.-Africa Business Summit in June. These include investments in grain storage and digital infrastructure in Angola, energy ventures in Rwanda, Congo, and Sierra Leone, and a tourism partnership with Ethiopia. Senegal even invited Trump to build a golf course in Dakar, hoping to appeal to the President’s personal interests.
Yet despite these high-profile announcements, African governments and trade analysts are expressing growing concern. The move away from aid coincides with Trump’s imposition of steep tariffs on African goods, causing ripple effects across industries. While the administration sells the policy as pro-growth and pro-sovereignty, critics view it as thinly veiled economic coercion.
South Africa has been especially hard-hit. Trump’s administration imposed a 30% tariff on select South African exports and threatened another 10% on countries aligned with BRICS. According to South Africa’s Automotive Business Council, vehicle exports to the U.S. have plummeted over 80%. The group warns these tariffs threaten over 100,000 jobs in the automotive and agricultural sectors, undermining South Africa’s broader industrialization goals.
Smaller economies are also struggling. Lesotho declared a state of disaster following the imposition of 50% tariffs — second only to rates on Chinese goods. Though Trump temporarily paused the tariffs for 90 days, the damage was already mounting. The country’s Trade Minister, Mokhethi Shelile, estimates around 12,000 textile jobs are at risk. Meanwhile, Madagascar’s vanilla farmers, Nigeria’s oil exporters, and Ivory Coast’s cocoa producers are all grappling with newfound uncertainty and declining revenues.
Trump’s critics argue that this approach mimics exploitative policies: opening Africa for U.S. business while limiting reciprocal access. “In reality, these tariffs are not about trade balances. It’s economic warfare,” said South Africa’s Alternative Information and Development Centre, a left-leaning policy NGO.
The future of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) is also in jeopardy. Enacted in 2000 and renewed in 2015, AGOA provides duty-free access to the U.S. market for nearly 2,000 goods from 32 African nations. It is set to expire in September, and there has been no official indication from the Trump administration about renewing the program.
South Africa’s trade minister has voiced deep concerns, calling it “very difficult” to imagine AGOA’s survival under the current conditions. Though Fitrell publicly endorsed AGOA, he warned African leaders that future agreements would likely require more “reciprocity” to align with Trump’s America First trade agenda.
Meanwhile, China continues to expand its economic footprint across the continent. In June, Beijing pledged zero-tariff market access to 53 African countries, further cementing its position as Africa’s largest trading partner. Though some African nations remain wary of growing too close to China — fearing it may provoke U.S. retaliation — the appeal of China’s consistent, infrastructure-heavy investment strategy remains strong.
Economists like Brendon Verster of Oxford Economics Africa warn that the U.S. risks losing influence if it continues to weaponize trade. “The ‘aid to trade’ stance risks leaving Africa behind once the U.S. has gotten what it wanted, which will probably be critical minerals,” Verster said. From manganese and uranium to lithium, African leaders have offered a treasure trove of strategic resources. But without stable long-term partnerships, skepticism over Washington’s commitment is mounting.
For now, African leaders find themselves navigating an uncertain and often contradictory U.S. policy landscape — one where business is encouraged, but only on U.S. terms, and long-standing cooperative frameworks hang in the balance.
Trump’s Tariff-Laden Trump’s Tariff-Laden
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