On May 21, 2025,

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...

, the

president of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal government of t ...

and

Cyril Ramaphosa Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa (born 17 November 1952) is a South African businessman and politician serving as the 5th and current President of South Africa since 2018. A former Anti-Apartheid Movement, anti-apartheid activist and trade union leade ...

, the

president of South Africa The president of South Africa is the head of state and head of government of the Republic of South Africa. The president directs the executive branch of the government and is the commander-in-chief of the South African National Defence F ...

, held a contentious bilateral meeting broadcast live in the

Oval Office The Oval Office is the formal working space of the president of the United States. Part of the Executive Office of the President of the United States, it is in the West Wing of the White House, in Washington, D.C. The oval room has three lar ...

at the

White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest (Washington, D.C.), NW in Washington, D.C., it has served as the residence of every U.S. president ...

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

Among the topics addressed were the controversial issues of

land reform Land reform (also known as agrarian reform) involves the changing of laws, regulations, or customs regarding land ownership, land use, and land transfers. The reforms may be initiated by governments, by interested groups, or by revolution. Lan ...

and farm attacks in South Africa, the latter of which Trump claimed disproportionately affected white farmers. President Trump raised concerns previously expressed by U.S. officials and advocacy groups regarding the expropriation of farmland without compensation. President Ramaphosa responded by reaffirming his government’s commitment to a constitutional and lawful process of land reform aimed at addressing historical inequalities, while ensuring food security and protecting property rights. The meeting came after President Trump launched the

white South African refugee program The South African refugee program, officially known as Mission South Africa, is a United States initiative launched in February 2025 by President Donald Trump to grant asylum to white South Africans, and other minorities in South Africa, prima ...

in February 2025.

Background

The meeting took place against the backdrop of deteriorating diplomatic relations between the U.S. and

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

, along with a radical change in American foreign policy under the new

Trump administration Presidency of Donald Trump may refer to: * First presidency of Donald Trump, the United States presidential administration from 2017 to 2021 * Second presidency of Donald Trump, the United States presidential administration since 2025 See also * ...

. Changes in U.S. foreign policy have included many radical overhauls, such as a new “America first” doctrine, prioritizing U.S. interests over multilateral and international cooperation. This includes the withdrawal from many different international agreements and institutions such as the

Paris Climate Agreement The Paris Agreement (also called the Paris Accords or Paris Climate Accords) is an international treaty on climate change that was signed in 2016. The treaty covers climate change mitigation, adaptation, and finance. The Paris Agreement was ...

, the

Iran nuclear deal The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA; (, BARJAM)), also known as the Iran nuclear deal or Iran deal, is an agreement to limit the Iranian nuclear program in return for sanctions relief and other provisions. The agreement was finalize ...

, the

Trans-Pacific Partnership The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), or Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA), was a proposed trade agreement between 12 Pacific Rim countries: Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, Vietn ...

, etc. It has also included heightened

Economic Protectionism Protectionism, sometimes referred to as trade protectionism, is the economic policy of restricting imports from other countries through methods such as tariffs on imported goods, import quotas, and a variety of other government regulations. ...

through

Trade Wars A trade war is an economic conflict often resulting from extreme protectionism, in which Sovereign state, states raise or implement tariffs or other trade barriers against each other as part of their Commercial policy, commercial policies, in re ...

, imposing high and sweeping

tariff A tariff or import tax is a duty (tax), duty imposed by a national Government, government, customs territory, or supranational union on imports of goods and is paid by the importer. Exceptionally, an export tax may be levied on exports of goods ...

s on multiple countries, invoking an unpredictable and confrontational style aimed at unsettling adversaries and allies, making it difficult for nations to predict what the U.S. will do.

Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...

has threatened tariffs on South African imports of up to 31%. If put into effect, it would have negative consequences on the South African economy. On his first day of his second term,

President Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the 45th president from 2017 to 2021. ...

signed an

executive order In the United States, an executive order is a directive by the president of the United States that manages operations of the federal government. The legal or constitutional basis for executive orders has multiple sources. Article Two of the ...

to freeze foreign humanitarian aid to all countries for 90 days and defied a court order to lift the freeze. In 2023,

USAID The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is an agency of the United States government that has been responsible for administering civilian United States foreign aid, foreign aid and development assistance. Established in 19 ...

sent around $400 million in aid to

, focused on healthcare to help prevent and combat

Aids/HIV The HIV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a Preventive healthcare, pr ...

, along with military support. South Africa has been dealing with copious issues. The “White Genocide” Allegations that Trump and his allies have been repeatedly claiming are taking place in South Africa, a narrative that has been rejected by scholars, experts, and South African officials. Additionally, a land reform policy such as the Expropriation Bill allows the South African government to acquire private land and convert it to public use, with the possibility of no compensation. It is a highly divisive and sensitive issue within South Africa. President Ramaphosa of South Africa had many objectives he wished to achieve in this meeting. The primary objectives are to reset the relationship and negotiate a comprehensive trade deal to better address the country's economic and diplomatic challenges. Arriving at the meeting, he made sure to bring a diverse group of figures, including prominent business leaders and sports figures, to strengthen his case while simultaneously providing himself a shield against a potential confrontation similar to what President Volodymyr Zelensky had encountered two months before in the Oval Office.

Meeting

The meeting began amiably with Trump and Ramaphosa discussing golf. Trump praised South Africa's golf players, while Ramaphosa brought Trump a 14 kg golf book about the country's golf courses. During the meeting, Trump screened a video compilation of utterances made by South African opposition politicians

Julius Malema Julius Sello Malema (born 3 March 1981) is a South African politician. He is the founder and leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), a communist political party known for the red berets and military-style outfits worn by its members. Be ...

and

Jacob Zuma Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma (; born 12 April 1942) is a South African politician who served as the fourth president of South Africa from 2009 to 2018. He is also referred to by his initials JZ and clan names Nxamalala and Msholozi. Zuma was a for ...

, including the singing of the controversial song ''

Dubul' ibhunu "''Dubul' ibhunu''" (), translated as shoot the Boer, kill the Boer or kill the farmer, is a controversial South African anti-Apartheid song. It is sung in Xhosa or Zulu. The song originates in the struggle against apartheid when it was first ...

'', which was described by certain media outlets as an attempt to "ambush" Ramaphosa. Additionally, Trump brought a stack of newspapers with him about killings in South Africa, which he later gave to Ramaphosa. President Ramaphosa asserted that South Africa is a democratic

multi-party In political science, a multi-party system is a political system where more than two meaningfully-distinct political parties regularly run for office and win elections. Multi-party systems tend to be more common in countries using proportional r ...

nation, and that only a small minority of political figures have advocated violence. After being asked about the

Qatar Qatar, officially the State of Qatar, is a country in West Asia. It occupies the Geography of Qatar, Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East; it shares Qatar–Saudi Arabia border, its sole land b ...

i jet that was given to

the Pentagon The Pentagon is the headquarters building of the United States Department of Defense, in Arlington County, Virginia, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. The building was constructed on an accelerated schedule during World War II. As ...

, Trump scolded

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...

reporter

Peter Alexander Peter Alexander may refer to: * Pete Alexander (born Grover Cleveland Alexander; 1887–1950), American baseball player * Peter Alexander (Shakespearean scholar) (1893–1969), professor of English language and literature at the University of Glasgo ...

for asking an unrelated question and criticized the news network. He also stated " Brian Roberts and the people that run that place, they are to be investigated." Moreover, Ramaphosa said to Trump "I'm sorry I don't have a plane to give you" to which Trump replied "I wish you did." Trump also confronted Ramaphosa with false claims of white genocide against

Afrikaners Afrikaners () are a Southern African ethnic group descended from predominantly Dutch people, Dutch Settler colonialism, settlers who first arrived at the Cape of Good Hope in Free Burghers in the Dutch Cape Colony, 1652.Entry: Cape Colony. '' ...

in South Africa, which Ramaphosa, together with other members of the South African delegation, strongly denied. In the meeting

Johann Rupert Johann Peter Rupert (born 1 June 1950) is a South African billionaire Businessperson, businessman, who is the eldest son of business tycoon Anton Rupert and his wife Huberte. He is the Chair (officer), chairman of the Swiss-based luxury goods c ...

pleaded "We need technological help. We need

Starlink Starlink is a satellite internet constellation operated by Starlink Services, LLC, an international telecommunications provider that is a wholly owned subsidiary of American aerospace company SpaceX, providing coverage to around 130 countries ...

at every little police station, and we need drones".

Aftermath

The meeting was widely described as contentious and confrontational, with diplomatic and political repercussions for both countries. Despite the tense public exchange, President Ramaphosa has downplayed the meeting's results, stating that closed-door discussions yielded some progress, particularly on trade and ongoing bilateral engagement. President Ramaphosa has expressed that the trade discussions to have been "fruitful" and later described the visit as "successful," emphasizing commitments to strengthen trade, increase investment, and pursue technological cooperation. President Trump has not rescinded the

he placed in January 2025, ending all foreign aid to South Africa. The two countries are continuing to engage i
trade discussions
with President Ramaphosa emphasizing a “reset” on relations. The following day, a screenshot Trump displayed during the meeting which he claimed had shown "all white farmers that are being buried", was revealed to have been taken from a

Reuters Reuters ( ) is a news agency owned by Thomson Reuters. It employs around 2,500 journalists and 600 photojournalists in about 200 locations worldwide writing in 16 languages. Reuters is one of the largest news agencies in the world. The agency ...

video shot in the

Democratic Republic of Congo The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), also known as the DR Congo, Congo-Kinshasa, or simply the Congo (the last ambiguously also referring to the neighbouring Republic of the Congo), is a country in Central Africa. By land area, it is t ...

, following a rebel offensive in

Goma Goma is a city in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the North Kivu, North Kivu Province; it is located on the northern shore of Lake Kivu and shares borders with the Bukumu Chiefdo ...

. The video, which is used by Trump, was published by Reuters on February 3 of the same year.

Reactions

South Africa Ramaphosa and delegation President Ramaphosa was commended by much of the South African press and public for his composure and courtesy under what was widely described as an "ambush". However, some commentators and opposition figures criticized him for not responding more forcefully to Trump's provocations and for bringing prominent white business and sports figures, which some felt inadvertently reinforced Trump's narrative. Ramaphosa and his delegation consistently refuted claims of "

white genocide The white genocide, white extinction, or white replacement conspiracy theory is a White nationalism, white nationalist conspiracy theory that claims there is a deliberate plot (often Antisemitic trope, blamed on Jews) to cause the extinction of ...

," emphasizing that violent crimes in South Africa affects all races and that the government remains committed to constitutional, lawful reform. The South African delegation also sought to redirect the conversation toward trade and investment, with Ramaphosa offering a comprehensive trade agreement and proposing expanded business opportunities for U.S. companies, including those owned by

Elon Musk Elon Reeve Musk ( ; born June 28, 1971) is a businessman. He is known for his leadership of Tesla, SpaceX, X (formerly Twitter), and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Musk has been considered the wealthiest person in th ...

. The meeting sparked debate within South Africa, with some expressing disappointment at the lack of a stronger rebuttal to Trump's claims while others praised Ramaphosa's restraint and diplomatic approach. Other countries Governments * – Prime Minister

Mark Carney Mark Joseph Carney (born March 16, 1965) is a Canadian politician and economist who has served as the 24th and current Prime Minister of Canada, prime minister of Canada since 2025. He has served as Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, lead ...

's office said in a statement: "The Prime Minister and the President discussed the strong and growing partnership between Canada and South Africa, with increased co-operation in wildfire management, technology, and trade and investment."

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Trump–Ramaphosa meeting, 2025 2025 controversies in the United States 2025 in American politics 2025 in international relations 2025 in Washington, D.C. May 2025 in the United States Diplomatic crises of the 2020s Diplomatic incidents History of the White House Cyril Ramaphosa JD Vance Pete Hegseth Political activities of Elon Musk Donald Trump South Africa–United States relations 2025 in South Africa Farm attacks Farms in South Africa Murder in South Africa White genocide conspiracy theory White nationalism in the United States