What started as a quiet diplomatic visit is now shaping up to be a highly charged political showdown.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is heading to Washington next week for a high-stakes meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, as controversy brews over accusations of racial violence and land reform policies in South Africa.
At the center of the tension? Claims of “genocide” against white farmers, the arrival of Afrikaner refugees in the U.S., and growing friction over land redistribution efforts in post-apartheid South Africa.
U.S. Welcomes White South African Refugees
In a move that has sparked international debate, the Trump administration recently accepted 59 white South Africans as refugees, describing it as the beginning of a broader plan to relocate minority Afrikaner farmers to the United States.
The administration claims these individuals are fleeing persecution and violence in their home country.
The South African government, however, strongly denies any racial targeting, saying that while farm killings are a serious issue, they are part of a broader crime wave—not racially motivated attacks.
Ramaphosa Set to Meet Trump in Washington
President Ramaphosa will be in the United States from Monday to Thursday next week, with a formal meeting scheduled with President Trump at the White House on Wednesday.
According to Ramaphosa’s office, the visit aims to “reset the strategic relationship between the two countries,” which has been under increasing strain in recent months.
This will be Trump’s first face-to-face meeting with an African head of state during his second term in office.
Following the announcement, South Africa’s currency, the rand, gained strength against the dollar—likely a sign of market optimism surrounding diplomatic progress.
Trump Cuts Aid, Cites ‘Anti-White’ Policies
Since returning to office in January, Trump has taken a hardline stance against South Africa.
In February, he signed an executive order cutting all U.S. financial aid to the country, blaming what he described as anti-white domestic policies and an anti-American stance on foreign affairs.
In addition to criticizing land reform, Trump has also called out South Africa for bringing a genocide case against Israel—one of America’s closest allies—at the International Court of Justice.
Diplomatic Fallout Over Race and Land
Back in March, the diplomatic rift deepened when South Africa’s ambassador to the U.S., Ebrahim Rasool, was expelled.
Rasool had accused Trump of using “white victimhood as a dog whistle.” In response, the U.S. accused Rasool of “race-baiting.”
Trump has repeatedly accused South Africa’s government of encouraging violence through what he calls racist land laws and hostile rhetoric.
His administration has even included prominent voices like Elon Musk—who was born in South Africa—in its criticism, with Musk denouncing what he called “hateful government actions.”
Afrikaner Exodus: A Controversial Policy
On the same day the first group of Afrikaner refugees landed in Virginia, Trump declared, “There is a genocide taking place” against white farmers—a claim rejected by South Africa.
According to the South African Chamber of Commerce in the USA, nearly 70,000 South Africans—mostly Afrikaners—have expressed interest in relocating to the U.S.
The Afrikaner community, made up of descendants of Dutch, French, and German settlers, once held political and economic power during apartheid.
Today, they make up about 2.7 million of South Africa’s population of 62 million.
Land Reform at the Heart of the Debate
In January, Ramaphosa signed new legislation allowing the government to seize land without compensation—a move aimed at correcting the historic injustices of apartheid, where the majority of South Africa’s land was owned by white citizens.
However, he insists this reform is not about punishing white farmers, but about equity.
“We must stay and solve our problems,” Ramaphosa said. “Running away is cowardly.”
He went on to say he believes many of those leaving the country will eventually return because “there is no country like South Africa.”
Despite the new laws, no land has yet been expropriated.
Washington’s Policy on South Africa
Under Trump’s executive order, the U.S. government has adopted a hard stance. The White House stated:
“As long as South Africa continues these unjust and immoral practices… the United States shall not provide aid or assistance.”
The policy also pledges U.S. support for resettling Afrikaners who are “escaping government-sponsored race-based discrimination.”