South African President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed journalists at the 8th EU South Africa summit in Cape Town, South Africa in March. Nardes Agile/ap Closed subtitles
Johannesburg - South African President Cyril Ramaphosa will meet with Donald Trump at the White House today in an attempt to reset relations between the two countries after the U.S. president continues to attack his administration.
The U.S. government repeatedly criticizes Pretoria's false claims as persecution of the system White Africa farmer - South African side repeatedly tried to correct Washington.
To no avail. The Trump administration’s dissatisfaction with South Africa is a nightmare for any diplomat. Trump cut aid to the country in February, and his senior officials hosted a G20 event for South Africa this year, and the United States expelled the South African ambassador. The U.S. government was also angry that Pretoria (an ally of the Palestinian company) brought Israel to the International Court of Justice in The Hague during the Gaza War.
Many South Africans will be anxiously watching today's meeting, especially after Trump's television hostility to Ukrainian leaders Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Oval Office Earlier this year, the world made headlines.
Ramaphosa wants to use the conference Keep Trump straight About Racial Relations in South Africa - Trump repeated the right-wing conspiracy theory that "white genocide" occurred in the country - his administration policy.
Will Trump listen this time? Pretoria must try because a significant free trade agreement is pending in the context of other economic issues.
Ramaphosa, an experienced diplomat, played a key role in negotiations that ended apartheid and led to Nelson Mandela's historical elections as South Africa's first black president. Earlier this year, South African leaders tried to attract Trump by providing his avid golfers with green fanatics at the G20 summit in Johannesburg in November.
But Ramaphosa was unable to hide her frustration after 59 white South Africans who were granted refugee status by the Trump administration last week.
Ramaphosa said that given that minorities did not persecute, the Afrikaans who left the United States were just whites and they did not want to live under the black majority.
He noted: “We are the only country where colonists live and we never drove them out of our country.”
Both Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused the administration of doing "terrible things" and solicited white land without compensation - this has not happened yet.
Appearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday Rubio was baked Senator Tim Kaine
South African refugees from South Africa arrived on Monday, May 12, 2025 at Dulles International Airport in Dulles, Virginia. Julia DeMaree Nikhinson/AP Closed subtitles
Rubio repeated the government’s unconfirmed claim: “They live in a country where farms are occupied and race-based.”
Trump's South Africa-born adviser Elon Musk also highly criticized the South African government. He slammed the country's affirmative action law, which he said prevented his star-striped satellite company from entering the market. On Tuesday, it was reported that Ramaphosa could offer some kind of deal to the Tesla billionaire before his White House meeting.
Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen, who is white and part of the South African delegation, said he will focus on “ensure trade relations…favorable trade agreements…has made a significant contribution to our economy. Losing these benefits will be disastrous.”
South Africans may trade at conferences. The country has rich minerals such as Platinum and Washington, which may see benefits against China's interests in the country.
The upcoming Washington conference has been dominating South African media, with local newspaper The Sunday Times reading on weekends "Enter Trump's mouth." A well-received sketch of South Africa Political cartoonist Zapiro, Showing a neurotic Ramaphosa enters the "White Supremacy House".
On the streets of Johannesburg this week, NPR talks to South Africans, and all races say they wish Ramaphosa all the best.
"There is absolutely no white genocide," said Jovana Korac, 36, South Africa. In fact, she said, "From civil rights to women's rights, the world has absolutely shocked the world."
"Stay away from South Africa," said Siya Ralo, a 42-year-old black barista, bluntly.
When asked if he was concerned if Ramaphosa could get the same treatment as Zelenskky, Ralo said: "I hope this won't happen, I know that Ramaphposa is a great strategist and he has a backbone. I believe he will win Trump's respect."
Another café guy, Ernest Motsi, a 29-year-old fashion designer, told NPR that Ramaphosa should try to "find common ground" with Trump, but if not, we are a very resilient person and we will survive no matter what objection we will get from the United States. ”
If everything else fails, there will always be a round of golf.