South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to meet U.S. President Donald Trump in the coming weeks to address escalating tensions between the two nations, following a series of U.S. actions targeting South Africa’s policies, announced on April 24, 2025. The planned summit aims to stabilize diplomatic and economic ties strained by disputes over land reform and South Africa’s foreign policy stances.
The friction began in February 2025 when Trump signed an executive order halting all U.S. foreign aid to South Africa, citing alleged race-based discrimination against white farmers under the Expropriation Act, which allows land redistribution for public use. The U.S. also imposed 37% tariffs on South African exports, later paused for 90 days, impacting $3 billion in trade, including automotive and agricultural goods.
Trump further criticized South Africa’s case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza, labeling it anti-American and supportive of Hamas and Iran. In March, the U.S. expelled South Africa’s ambassador, Ebrahim Rasool, after he remarks on a webinar about Trump’s political movement, prompting South Africa to appoint a former deputy finance minister as a special envoy to Washington.
Ramaphosa, in a February speech, vowed South Africa “will not be bullied,” defending land reforms as redress for apartheid-era dispossessions, where 85% of farmland was allocated to whites. The Expropriation Act, debated for compliance with Section 25 of South Africa’s Constitution, has expropriated 2% of white-owned farms since 2024, with compensation disputes ongoing. South Africa’s economy, with a 2024 GDP of $400 billion, faces challenges from the aid cut, which slashed $700 million in HIV/AIDS funding, and tariff threats affecting 50,000 jobs. Ramaphosa seeks a “meaningful deal” to restore trade under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which facilitated $10 billion in exports in 2024.
The meeting, likely in Washington, will address South Africa’s non-aligned foreign policy, including ties with China and Russia, and its ICJ case, joined by six nations. South Africa denies supporting Hamas, citing Nelson Mandela’s legacy of Palestinian solidarity. Challenges include U.S. congressional bills targeting South Africa’s Israel stance and domestic pressure from groups like AfriForum, accused of treason for aligning with Trump’s narrative. A successful summit could reinstate aid and pause tariffs, but failure risks further isolation, with South Africa pivoting to EU and BRICS partnerships for its $30 billion energy transition.