South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to meet U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington next week, as diplomatic tensions between the two nations escalate over refugee policy, trade tariffs, and South Africa’s stance on international justice.
Ramaphosa’s office confirmed late Wednesday that the bilateral talks will take place on Wednesday, May 21, at the White House. The visit, described as a “working trip,” will run through Thursday and is seen as an attempt to recalibrate increasingly strained ties between Pretoria and Washington.
“The visit provides a platform to reset the strategic relationship between the two countries and explore common ground on global, regional, and bilateral matters,” the South African Presidency said in a statement.
At the heart of the current diplomatic row is the Trump administration’s controversial decision to resettle a group of white Afrikaners in the U.S. under claims of “persecution” — a move Pretoria has strongly denounced as politically charged and unfounded.
On Monday, the U.S. accepted the first group of 49 Afrikaners — descendants of Dutch settlers — citing concerns for their safety. Trump has portrayed their situation as a form of “oppression,” echoing right-wing narratives despite South Africa’s repeated reassurances that no systemic persecution exists.
“There’s no genocide here. We are beautiful, happy people — black and white — working and living together,” said Deputy President Paul Mashatile in response to the resettlement, accusing Trump of being misled.
The South African government maintains that white South Africans — who make up roughly 7.3% of the population — continue to enjoy disproportionately higher standards of living and remain constitutionally protected.
Relations have also frayed over South Africa’s land expropriation policy, aimed at redistributing historically unjust land ownership. The U.S. government has voiced concerns that the legislation enables government seizure of white-owned land without compensation — an assertion South Africa calls “misinformed and inflammatory.”
Further complicating matters is Pretoria’s role in bringing a genocide case against Israel to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) — a move criticized by Washington as undermining a close U.S. ally.
In March, Washington expelled South Africa’s ambassador, Ebrahim Rasool, following his criticism of Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement during an online seminar. Shortly after, the U.S. slashed aid to South Africa, citing policy divergences.
Despite this, Ramaphosa’s visit is expected to include trade talks, especially as Trump’s recently announced tariffs on South African goods — including citrus and automotive exports — have raised alarms. The tariffs are currently paused for a 90-day review, but uncertainty looms large over the future of bilateral trade.
The United States remains South Africa’s second-largest trade partner, and economic cooperation is likely to feature prominently in the upcoming discussions.
Ramaphosa is expected to extend an invitation to Trump to visit South Africa, in a move aimed at defusing tensions through diplomacy and mutual engagement.
“President Trump is welcome to visit our beautiful country and see our democracy in action,” said Mashatile. “We believe dialogue, not division, is the best path forward.”
As geopolitical divisions deepen and domestic politics influence foreign policy on both sides, Ramaphosa’s Washington visit could prove pivotal in determining the future of U.S.–South Africa relations.
