On May 21, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump met with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to discuss trade, but the conversation quickly shifted to talks on Afrikaner persecution. While the U.S. is South Africa’s second-largest trading partner through the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), Trump raised concerns about Afrikaners, a white minority group, and targeted violence against them.
The Trump-Ramaphosa Meeting
During the meeting, Trump dimmed the lights to show a video of opposition leader Julius Malema singing the apartheid-era song “Kill the Boer” alongside footage of crosses he said marked graves of murdered white farmers. Ramaphosa clarified the crosses were from a 2020 protest and not actual graves, and emphasized that crime affects all races in South Africa and that the song is not government policy.
Land Reform
Trump’s attention to Afrikaner issues, encouraged by advisor Elon Musk, echoes claims of “white genocide” promoted by figures like Tucker Carlson. In February 2025, Trump halted U.S. aid to South Africa over alleged race-based discrimination and launched a resettlement program for Afrikaners. Fifty-nine arrived in the U.S. as refugees on May 12.
South Africa’s Expropriation Act, signed in January 2025, allows land seizures without compensation under specific conditions like public interest or abandoned land. Critics, including Afrikaner groups and the Democratic Alliance (DA), fear it could lead to abuse. Though whites make up only 7% of the population, they own 70% of commercial farmland. In 2023, there were 49 farm-related murders, often tied to remote-area crime, according to AfriForum.
Black Economic Empowerment
Musk has also clashed with South Africa’s Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) laws, which require 30% ownership by historically disadvantaged groups for foreign telecom firms. He claims Starlink was denied a license due to his race. South Africa may offer Starlink an alternative “equity equivalent” deal, potentially involving rural internet initiatives.
Trade Tensions
The IMF downgraded South Africa’s 2025 growth forecast to 1.5%, citing global trade tensions, particularly Trump’s tariff policies. AGOA benefits—accounting for 1% of South Africa’s GDP—are under review by U.S. lawmakers. Trump’s February aid suspension caused the rand, stocks, and bonds to fall, and further actions could worsen economic conditions. In response, South Africa’s trade minister proposed buying U.S. liquefied natural gas to improve relations, though racial tensions overshadowed trade efforts.
Crime
South Africa recorded 26,232 murders in 2024, with 44 linked to farming communities. Broader concerns about violent crime, teenage pregnancy, and social instability continue to dominate domestic debate. Political shifts—like the ANC’s coalition with the DA—and land reform efforts further complicate the landscape.
Conclusion
The Trump-Ramaphosa meeting highlighted growing tensions over South Africa’s white genocide, land reform, and trade.
