Wed May 21 20:45:53 UTC 2025: **News Article:**
**Trump “Ambushes” Ramaphosa with False “White Genocide” Claims During White House Meeting**
**Washington, D.C.** – South African President Cyril Ramaphosa faced a confrontational encounter with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Wednesday, where Trump raised unsubstantiated claims of a “white genocide” in South Africa, derailing Ramaphosa’s attempts to focus on trade and investment.
Ramaphosa arrived in Washington seeking to “reset” relations between the two nations and secure a beneficial trade deal. However, Trump, armed with printouts of articles and a video depicting anti-white rhetoric, accused South Africa of targeting and murdering white farmers.
Despite the unexpected “ambush,” Ramaphosa remained composed and firmly denied the claims, emphasizing that criminality affects all South Africans regardless of race. He was supported by members of his delegation, including white South Africans such as golf legends Ernie Els and Retief Goosen, billionaire Johann Rupert and Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen, who affirmed that while violence is a problem, white people are not specifically targeted.
Minister Steenhuisen added that the people in the video Trump showed were leaders of opposition minority parties that his party had joined forces with Ramaphosa “precisely to keep those people out of power”.
Rupert emphasized that black people are the most common victims.
The meeting proceeded with Trump commending the golfers in the delegation. They both implored him for enhanced trade to uplift South Africa’s economy.
Despite the tense exchange, Ramaphosa steered the conversation back to trade and investment, emphasizing South Africa’s need for economic support from its allies. Political analyst Sanusha Naidu noted that Ramaphosa’s calm demeanor prevented the situation from escalating further.
The Trump administration has previously voiced concerns over South Africa’s land reform policies and is considering taking in Afrikaners as refugees, having already cut aid to the country, including HIV programs.
Beyond trade, discussions were expected to touch on foreign policy issues, including the Russia-Ukraine conflict and South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice.
Before private talks, when asked if he had decided whether genocide was being committed in South Africa Trump said “I haven’t made up my mind.”
South Africa’s aim is to strengthen trade relations, and the country’s ministers of trade and agriculture have already presented a draft trade deal to U.S. trade officials. Some observers speculate that South Africa may offer regulatory assurances to Elon Musk’s Starlink in exchange for trade concessions. However, this proposal has been met with resistance from opposition parties.
Christopher Isike, a political scientist at the University of Pretoria, expressed doubt that South Africa would compromise its transformation laws to appease Musk.
The meeting underscores the complex and often strained relationship between the U.S. and South Africa under the Trump administration, with significant implications for trade, foreign policy, and international relations.
First Piper 