Three months after Donald Trump’s second term, foreign leaders should realize that the coveted trip to the Oval Office risks very public dressing, often falling into provocative and humiliating attempts.
Wednesday’s episode with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is a classic of the same kind, with ambushing another twist on dim lights, long video screenings and a bunch of newspaper clippings of news stories.
As the TV cameras rolled, after some grumpy discussions, a reporter asked Trump about his need to be convinced that South Africa’s claim to “white genocide” was untrue.
Ramaphosa first responded that the president must "listen to the voices of South Africans" on this issue. Trump then came in and asked aides to "turn on the lights" and turn on the TV so he could show South African leaders "a few things."
His consultant and South African-born billionaire Elon Musk watched quietly from the back of the sofa.
The extraordinary and highly orchestrated attacks by the U.S. president on alleged persecution of South Africans, followed by a positive treatment of Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky during his February visit to the White House.
The video on the big screen shows the South African political flames, chanting "Boer", an anti-apartheid song. Trump often criticized the news media and seemed happy to march with uncertain source pictures. When asked where the so-called white farmers’ graves were located, he simply replied: “South Africa.”
The U.S. leaders also seem to believe that the political leaders in the video - not part of the government - have the right to seize land from white farmers. They don't.
Although Ramaphosa did sign a controversial bill that allowed no compensation earlier this year, the law has not been implemented. South Africa openly stays away from language in its political speeches presented.
But the meeting was ready, with Nelson Mandela of South Africa and the highest ally of negotiators helping to end the segregation regime of the white minority rule.
Trump sometimes seems unaware of the transparent efforts made by foreign leaders for flattery, which is clearly part of South Africa’s strategy.
Indeed, Donald Trump is a golf fanatic, but Ramaphosa brought two top golfers - Ernie Els and Retief Goosen - to attend meetings on diplomatic issues and trade policy, which is not any textbook on international relations that I have ever read.
However, the U.S. President is pleased to have two South African golfers there, which can be seen by everyone.
Their prognosis of the fate of white farmers is almost as much as South Africa elected president, who is largely limited to quiet, short-lived interventions.
But Ramaphosa might be happy with it. The golfer, along with his white minister of agriculture, himself comes from an opposition party, which is part of the state's unity government, at least in some way a shield - a kind of diplomatic golden dome, if he will, and it works.
Trump has repeatedly returned to the peasant plight problem - he welcomed him into the United States as a refugee. But President Ramaphosa did not bite people, and the provocation was largely blown away.
At one point, he mentioned the golfer who joined his delegation and a billionaire in the Africa Er and told Trump: "If there were Africa farmers genocide, I could bet that these three gentlemen wouldn't be here."
But even if President Trump hasn't managed to rise from the South African president, that doesn't mean his efforts are in vain for more than an hour. Of course they are not.
This performative diplomatic style aims to be a domestic American audience, just like the latest visitors to the Oval Office.
The Core of Make America Great Again (MAGA) project maintains the energy around perceived dissatisfaction and resentment, and President Trump knows what his supporters want.
If some foreign leaders are learning to browse these moments with skills, Donald Trump may have to change the script to continue to make the impact he wants.