South African President Cyril Ramaphosa met U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on May 21 in a high-stakes diplomatic visit.
The meeting came after months of growing tension between the two countries.
In recent months, the U.S. has cut aid to South Africa, halted plans to extend a key trade deal, threatened new tariffs, and expelled South Africa’s ambassador.
The Trump administration, usually less focused on African affairs, has taken a tough stance on South Africa over what it calls weak responses to violence and global issues.
Key disagreements between the two countries go beyond recent disputes. The South African government, led by the African National Congress, often views the U.S. as a barrier to global justice.
At the same time, it has shown support for countries like Russia and China, despite their human rights records. South Africa’s neutral stance on the war in Ukraine has angered U.S. officials.
In 2023, South Africa filed a case at the International Court of Justice accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza. This drew strong criticism from Washington, especially given U.S. military support for Israel.
South Africa also continues to push for reforms in global institutions, a view at odds with the Trump administration’s more inward-looking approach.
Tensions rose further when the U.S. declined to support the upcoming G20 Summit in South Africa. U.S. officials were reportedly unhappy with the summit’s focus on equality and sustainability and raised concerns about alleged discrimination against white South Africans, claims South African officials strongly deny.
Ramaphosa’s visit aimed to ease some of these tensions. He brought along a team that included well-known South African figures seen as likely to appeal to Trump. His goal was to protect South Africa’s trade access to the U.S. and attract investment at a time when the local economy is struggling with high unemployment and slow growth.
