Donald Trump cuts financial aid to South Africa over "racial discrimination" against Afrikaners

United States president signs executive order citing unjust treatment of Afrikaners, criticizing land expropriation law.
Text: Óscar Ontañón Docal
Published 2025-02-08

More than three decades after the official end of apartheid, South Africa continues to face profound inequalities, with a small white minority still controlling much of the nation's wealth and land, while the black population remains the overwhelming majority, as represented here in a land audit).

Against this backdrop, United States President Donald Trump has taken a significant step by signing an executive order to cut financial aid to South Africa, accusing the government of racial discrimination against Afrikaners.

This decision follows the introduction of a controversial law that allows land to be expropriated without compensation under certain conditions—a policy Trump claims disproportionately impacts Afrikaners and undermines their access to equal opportunities.

In a move that has sparked international debate, Trump has also offered asylum to Afrikaners, positioning himself as a defender of their rights. South Africa, however, has strongly rejected the accusations, dismissing them as a "campaign of misinformation and propaganda."

On Monday, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa took to X to challenge Trump's portrayal of the legislation, asserting in a post that the measure is "not a confiscation instrument, but a constitutionally mandated legal process."

Meanwhile, South Africa's foreign ministry argued in a statement that it is "ironic" that the executive order offers refuge to Afrikaners, a group it claims remains among the most economically privileged in the country, while vulnerable individuals in the United States from other regions face deportation and asylum denials despite enduring real hardships.

South Africa's government also reiterated its commitment to finding diplomatic solutions to any misunderstandings or disputes, signalling that it seeks to resolve this growing tension through dialogue.

At the same time, Afrikaner advocacy groups are praising Trump's intervention. For now, it remains to be seen how this diplomatic clash will evolve and what impact it will have on both nations' relations.

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