The move marks a significant escalation in diplomatic tensions between the US and South Africa. Trump, who had previously threatened to cut funding, claimed that South Africa’s land policy violates human rights and that the nation’s legal action against Israel is a hostile stance against the US and its allies.
“South Africa is confiscating land and treating certain classes of people very badly,” Trump said, without providing evidence.
The South African government strongly condemned Trump’s decision, calling it “a campaign of misinformation and propaganda aimed at misrepresenting our great nation.” The country’s Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation argued that the order “fails to recognize South Africa’s profound and painful history of colonialism and apartheid.”
Elon Musk Weighs In
Trump’s close advisor, billionaire Elon Musk—who was born in South Africa—also criticized the country’s leadership. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Musk questioned why President Cyril Ramaphosa had “openly racist ownership laws.”
Ramaphosa has yet to respond directly to Musk but previously defended the land reform law, emphasizing that no land had been confiscated and that the policy aims to promote equitable public access to land.
What Does South Africa’s New Land Law Say?
Signed into law last month, South Africa’s new legislation allows for land expropriation without compensation under specific conditions. This includes cases where:
- The property is abandoned or underutilized with no development plans.
- The land poses a public safety risk.
- The expropriation serves the public interest.
Land ownership remains a deeply contentious issue in South Africa, where the majority of private farmland is still in white ownership nearly 30 years after the end of apartheid. Calls for land reform have been ongoing for decades, with supporters arguing that redistribution is necessary to correct historical injustices.
Trump’s Executive Order and US Refugee Plan
The executive order states that the US “cannot support the government of South Africa’s commission of rights violations in its country.” Until “these unjust and immoral practices” cease, Trump declared that all financial aid and assistance to South Africa would be halted.
Additionally, the White House announced a plan to prioritize the resettlement of South African farmers and their families as refugees. According to the order, US officials will facilitate the entry of Afrikaners—mostly white descendants of Dutch and French settlers—into the US through the United States Refugee Admissions Program.
US-South Africa Relations at a Crossroads
Beyond land reform, the executive order also directly references South Africa’s ICJ case against Israel. The order accuses South Africa of “taking aggressive positions towards the United States and its allies, including accusing Israel, not Hamas, of genocide in the ICJ.” It also raises concerns over South Africa’s deepening ties with Iran, citing potential “commercial, military, and nuclear arrangements.”
Trump reinforced his stance on his social media platform, Truth Social, stating:
“I will be cutting off all future funding to South Africa until a full investigation of this situation has been completed!”
During a press briefing, he added: “South Africa’s leadership is doing some terrible things, horrible things. They’re taking away land and confiscating land, and actually, they’re doing things that are perhaps far worse than that.”
Ramaphosa’s Response and a Call to Musk
In an effort to de-escalate the situation, President Ramaphosa reportedly reached out to Elon Musk directly. According to his office, Ramaphosa reassured Musk that South Africa remains committed to “constitutionally embedded values of respect for the rule of law, justice, fairness, and equality.”
While the South African government has not publicly indicated any plans to challenge Trump’s executive order, the diplomatic fallout from the decision is likely to have lasting consequences.
