By Abiola Olawale
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is scheduled to meet United States President Donald Trump on May 21, 2025, in Washington, D.C., as diplomatic relations between the two nations face significant strain and tension.
The meeting comes against a backdrop of manifest friction, after Trump’s claims that the government of South Africa was carrying out a “genocide” against white Afrikaners in South Africa.
Recall that earlier this week, 59 Afrikaners arrived in the US under a refugee program initiated by the Trump administration, which alleged racial discrimination against white South Africans.
However, in his response, Ramaphosa had strongly rejected the allegations, stating that the group does not meet refugee criteria and is motivated by resistance to South Africa’s constitutional changes aimed at redressing historical inequalities and injustice.
Also, the expulsion of South Africa’s ambassador to the US, Ebrahim Rasool, in March 2025, and Trump’s executive orders imposing tariffs and terminating US aid which have further strained ties between the two countries, may also be on the agenda.
Meanwhile, a statement released by Ramaphosa’s office revealed that the South African President will meet Trump on Wednesday, May 21, 2025.
The statement reads in part: “On Wednesday, 21 May 2025, President Ramaphosa will meet with President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington DC to discuss bilateral, regional and global issues of interest.”
