Ramaphosa Faces Tense Oval Office Meeting with Trump Over SA Issues

Updated May 21, 2025 at 4:15 PM EDT

JOHANNESBURG — The meeting between South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and President Trump in the Oval Office on Wednesday was anything but smooth. What began as an effort by Ramaphosa to strengthen ties with the United States quickly turned confrontational.

President Trump reiterated unfounded claims about a “white genocide” in South Africa, dimming the lights to show videos that he argued supported his assertions. Despite Ramaphosa’s attempts to clarify the situation, he was frequently interrupted. He pointed out that the videos featuring opposition figure Julius Malema singing an apartheid-era song were not indicative of the government’s stance.

Malema, a populist expelled from the African National Congress, leads the Economic Freedom Fighters, a party that secured only 7% in the previous elections. Ramaphosa emphasized, “They are a small minority party.” Despite this, Trump questioned why Malema had not been arrested, to which Ramaphosa explained that South Africa’s constitution upholds freedom of speech, even as he condemned the song’s message.

Trump also introduced a video purportedly showing a burial site for murdered white farmers. Ramaphosa challenged the video’s authenticity, noting, “Have they told you where this is? I’d like to know where this is?” Reports suggest the video likely depicts a memorial site rather than evidence of ongoing violence.

In an attempt to substantiate his claims, Trump presented articles asserting violence against white farmers, repeatedly emphasizing “death.” Ramaphosa’s agriculture minister, John Steenhuisen, and Johann Rupert, a prominent South African businessman, sought to clarify the realities of crime in South Africa.

While the country does face significant crime levels, the primary victims are Black South Africans. Crimes in farming areas, which reportedly saw 12 murders in late 2024, affect both farm owners and workers, with motives largely rooted in opportunistic thefts due to the isolated nature of farms.

This contentious meeting followed another high-profile encounter earlier this year, where Trump’s interactions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also drew global attention.

Ramaphosa’s team anticipated a challenging meeting, given the U.S. administration’s unfounded allegations of systemic persecution of white Afrikaner farmers. Recently, 59 white Afrikaners were granted refugee status and arrived in the U.S.

During the meeting, Trump repeated claims that white farmers were having their land confiscated, despite no farms being seized under South Africa’s new land expropriation laws. White South Africans, although only 7% of the population, maintain ownership of 70% of commercial farmland.

Relations between the two countries have been strained, with a litany of issues including the U.S. cutting financial aid, skipping G20 events hosted by South Africa, and expelling South Africa’s ambassador. Additionally, there’s tension over South Africa’s decision to take Israel to the International Court of Justice over its actions in Gaza.

Ramaphosa aimed to clarify misconceptions about race relations in South Africa and hoped to negotiate a deal with Trump, as a crucial free trade agreement was at stake.

Elon Musk, Trump’s South African-born adviser, attended the meeting but remained mostly silent. Musk has criticized South Africa’s affirmative action laws, which he claims hinder his Starlink project from entering the market. There were speculations that Ramaphosa might propose a business deal to Musk before the White House meeting.

Mandela’s lead negotiator

Ramaphosa, renowned for his diplomatic skills, played a key role in negotiating the end of apartheid, leading to Nelson Mandela’s presidency.

Attempting to win favor, Ramaphosa invited Trump, an enthusiastic golfer, to play at the upcoming G20 summit in Johannesburg. He even brought renowned South African golfers Ernie Els and Retief Goosen to the Oval Office meeting.

Despite these efforts, the meeting deteriorated. “I would say, if there was Afrikaner farmer genocide, I can bet you these three gentlemen would not be here, including my minister of agriculture,” Ramaphosa said. Nevertheless, tensions remained high.

At one point, a question about a plane gifted by Qatar provoked Trump, prompting Ramaphosa to joke, “I’m sorry I don’t have a plane to give you.” To which Trump replied, “I wish you did,” eliciting laughter from Ramaphosa.

As the dust settles, South African media are analyzing the event, noting Ramaphosa’s composure in the face of challenging circumstances, in contrast to the Ukrainian President’s earlier experience.

Copyright 2025 NPR