South African President Cyril Ramaphosa visited the White House on Wednesday for a high-stakes meeting with US President Donald Trump, aiming to reset increasingly strained relations between the two nations. The visit, described by Ramaphosa’s office as “perilous” but ultimately “successful,” sought to shift the dynamic from one of criticism and punishment to one of mutual cooperation and trade deals.
High Stakes and Contentious Issues
The encounter marked the first time Trump has hosted an African leader at the White House since his inauguration in January. The relationship between the United States and South Africa has significantly deteriorated since early 2025, driven by ideological differences, geopolitical alignments, and domestic policy disputes.
Trump has repeatedly criticized South Africa’s land reform legislation, which aims to address apartheid-era injustices, and its legal actions against Israel. These actions have led to a reduction in US aid to South Africa, the expulsion of its ambassador, and the granting of asylum to white Afrikaners based on unsubstantiated claims of racial discrimination.
Prior to the meeting, Ramaphosa’s office stated,
“The visit will concentrate on redefining our bilateral, economic, and commercial partnerships.”
This redefinition is crucial for South Africa, as the United States is its second-largest trading partner after China.
The cut in US aid has already had tangible consequences, including a decline in HIV testing, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations like pregnant women, young people, and infants.
Despite the tensions, Ramaphosa emphasized the necessity of dialogue, stating on South African state television before his departure,
“Regardless of our preferences, we are interconnected, and dialogue is essential.”
Confrontation in the Oval Office
The meeting began with an apparent attempt to ease tension, as Ramaphosa brought two prominent white South African golfers, Ernie Els and Retief Goosen, and presented Trump with a 14-kilogram book about South Africa’s golf courses.
However, the atmosphere quickly shifted. During a live-broadcast segment, Trump confronted Ramaphosa by showing a video he claimed proved a “genocide” against white Afrikaners in South Africa. The video featured South African opposition leader Julius Malema singing a controversial song, “Shoot the Boer [farmer],” and displayed a field of crosses.
Ramaphosa strongly refuted these allegations, explaining that criminality in South Africa affects all races and that black individuals are statistically more likely to be victims of violence than their white counterparts.
He highlighted that white individuals, despite constituting only 7% of the population, own over 70% of the land, undermining claims of widespread discrimination.
Earlier in the month, the Trump administration had facilitated the relocation of 59 white “refugees” from South Africa to the US, granting them asylum despite generally restricting such requests from other parts of the world.
Trade and Economic Diplomacy on the Agenda
Despite the confrontational start, the discussions moved towards economic matters. A representative from South Africa’s trade ministry indicated that Ramaphosa intended to present Trump with a comprehensive trade agreement, though specific details were not disclosed.
Ramaphosa also aimed to explore business opportunities for Tesla and Starlink, both owned by South African-born billionaire Elon Musk, who has himself accused Ramaphosa of implementing anti-white policies.
A key objective for Ramaphosa was to introduce a new trade framework to govern relations between the two countries, particularly given the upcoming expiration of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) on October 1, 2025.
AGOA facilitates duty-free exports to the US for eligible sub-Saharan African nations and is crucial for Africa’s development.
Trump’s recent trade tariffs have raised concerns about AGOA’s future, especially impacting South Africa’s automotive sector, which heavily relies on US exports.
Following the closed-door talks, the South African presidency stated that both leaders agreed to strengthen bilateral trade ties, increase investments, and foster collaboration in technological exchanges.
Ramaphosa welcomed the expected commencement of trade talks between the two countries’ respective negotiation teams.
Geopolitical Tensions and BRICS
The strain in US-South Africa relations is not solely due to domestic policy disagreements.
South Africa’s legal action against Israel at the International Court of Justice, accusing its military of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, has also contributed to tensions with the US.
Furthermore, South Africa’s active participation in BRICS—a group of emerging economies including Brazil, Russia, India, China, and others—is viewed unfavorably by the US.
Political analyst Daniel Silke noted that South Africa’s leadership role in the G20 this year is a significant factor, making it logical for both leaders to meet, even given Trump’s unpredictable nature.
Ramaphosa may attempt to persuade Trump to attend the G20 summit in November, which the US president is reportedly planning to boycott.
A Challenging but Necessary Engagement
Ramaphosa’s visit, while fraught with challenges, was deemed “robust and fruitful” by the South African president.
The South African delegation maintained a positive tone after the closed-door session, emphasizing a firm agreement for continued engagement bilaterally and within the G20.
Guilengue from the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in Johannesburg commented that a segment of the South African population believes it is essential for Ramaphosa to assert South Africa’s autonomy in choosing its partners.
However, a larger portion of society remains skeptical, aware of Trump’s confrontational style.
Ultimately, experts suggest that personal diplomacy is crucial when dealing with Trump, even if the relationship is tumultuous.
Silke stated,
“Ultimately, it comes down to business. Despite the discussions on tariffs, it appears that the most severe tariffs could be negotiated down, and South Africa possesses leverage with critical minerals that could be supplied to the U.S.”
The meeting underscores the complex and often contentious nature of international diplomacy, particularly when leaders with vastly different approaches and priorities engage.