On Friday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order halting foreign aid to South Africa, citing concerns over the country’s new land expropriation law, which the White House has condemned as discriminatory against minority groups in the country.
“As long as South Africa continues to support bad actors on the world stage and allows violent attacks on innocent disfavored minority farmers, the United States will stop aid and assistance to the country,” the White House said in a statement. Additionally, the administration confirmed that Trump plans to announce a program to resettle minority white South African farmers as refugees.
The controversial law, signed last month by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, grants the government authority to expropriate land if deemed in the public interest. The White House has described the measure as “blatantly discriminatory against ethnic minority Afrikaners.” The law is intended as part of land reform efforts aimed at addressing historical injustices from the apartheid era, during which black South Africans were dispossessed of land, according to the Associated Press.
Trump previously criticized the policy in a post on Truth Social last Sunday.
"South Africa is confiscating land and treating certain classes of people VERY BADLY." He wrote, "I will be cutting off all future funding to South Africa until a full investigation of this situation has been completed!"
The move has heightened tensions between the two nations. On Wednesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced he would not attend the upcoming G20 summit in Johannesburg, stating, “South Africa is doing very bad things. Expropriating private property. Using G20 to promote ‘solidarity, equality, & sustainability.’ In other words: DEI and climate change.”
In response, Ramaphosa issued a statement defending the law and expressing a willingness to engage with the Trump administration.
"South Africa is a constitutional democracy that is deeply rooted in the rule of law, justice and equality. The South African Government has not confiscated any land,” the statement read. “The recently adopted Expropriation Act is not a confiscation instrument, but a constitutionally mandated legal process that ensures public access to land in an equitable and just manner as guided by the Constitution. South Africa, like the United States of America and other countries, has always had expropriation laws that balance the need for public usage of land and the protection of rights of property owners.”
“We look forward to engaging with the Trump administration over our land reform policy and issues of bilateral interest. We are certain that out of those engagements, we will share a better and common understanding over these matters,” the statement continued. “The US remains a key strategic political and trade partner for South Africa. With the exception of PEPFAR Aid, which constitutes 17% of South Africa’s HIV/AIDS programme, there is no other funding that is received by South Africa from the United States.”
“As long as South Africa continues to support bad actors on the world stage and allows violent attacks on innocent disfavored minority farmers, the United States will stop aid and assistance to the country,” the White House said in a statement. Additionally, the administration confirmed that Trump plans to announce a program to resettle minority white South African farmers as refugees.
The controversial law, signed last month by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, grants the government authority to expropriate land if deemed in the public interest. The White House has described the measure as “blatantly discriminatory against ethnic minority Afrikaners.” The law is intended as part of land reform efforts aimed at addressing historical injustices from the apartheid era, during which black South Africans were dispossessed of land, according to the Associated Press.
Trump previously criticized the policy in a post on Truth Social last Sunday.
"South Africa is confiscating land and treating certain classes of people VERY BADLY." He wrote, "I will be cutting off all future funding to South Africa until a full investigation of this situation has been completed!"
The move has heightened tensions between the two nations. On Wednesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced he would not attend the upcoming G20 summit in Johannesburg, stating, “South Africa is doing very bad things. Expropriating private property. Using G20 to promote ‘solidarity, equality, & sustainability.’ In other words: DEI and climate change.”
In response, Ramaphosa issued a statement defending the law and expressing a willingness to engage with the Trump administration.
"South Africa is a constitutional democracy that is deeply rooted in the rule of law, justice and equality. The South African Government has not confiscated any land,” the statement read. “The recently adopted Expropriation Act is not a confiscation instrument, but a constitutionally mandated legal process that ensures public access to land in an equitable and just manner as guided by the Constitution. South Africa, like the United States of America and other countries, has always had expropriation laws that balance the need for public usage of land and the protection of rights of property owners.”
“We look forward to engaging with the Trump administration over our land reform policy and issues of bilateral interest. We are certain that out of those engagements, we will share a better and common understanding over these matters,” the statement continued. “The US remains a key strategic political and trade partner for South Africa. With the exception of PEPFAR Aid, which constitutes 17% of South Africa’s HIV/AIDS programme, there is no other funding that is received by South Africa from the United States.”
