Here Are Four Questions Left Unanswered by the Trump-Ramaphosa Meeting

The much-publicized meeting between the U.S. and South African presidents is over, but what happens next for trade, tech and the future of U.S.-SA relations.

U.S. President Donald Trump gestures towards papers he had present to President Cyril Ramaphosa during their meeting in the Oval Office of the White House on Wednesday May 21, 2025.

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa in the Oval Office of the White House on Wednesday May 21, 2025.

Photo by Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post via Getty Images

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa's official visit to the White House was packed with drama, instigated mainly by the host, U.S. President Donald Trump. South Africa's presidency had said the priority for this trip would be to realign its relationship with the U.S., but judging by the joint press conference (which turned into a public meeting), it seems the Ramaphosa-led delegation left with as many questions as they had upon arrival.

What started on a cordial note, with Ramaphosa presenting Trump with a voluminous repository of South Africa's golf courses as a present, devolved into the South African contingent having to defend themselves against Trump's continued, baseless allegations of a "white genocide" targeting Afrikaners and minority white farmers and land owners. Rather than engage with his South African counterpart's focus on trade partnership, Trump was intent on embarrassing his guest, pulling theatrics with video clips that do little to strengthen his allegations.

Despite the optics of the public meeting, Ramaphosa told the press that his contingent came out with its set target of achieving "re-engagement with the U.S., to put the issues of investment and trade on the table, and to ensure that we continue engaging through the various other formations." He also downplayed Trump's antics: "You wanted to see drama and something really big happening, and I'm sorry that we disappointed you somewhat when it comes to that."

A closed-door meeting was held after the press conference, which Ramaphosa said revolved around trade, investment, and golf. However, there have been no reported resolutions that signal relations between the two countries have improved. Without any tangible sign that the Trump administration will commit to better diplomatic efforts, Ramaphosa's mission to "reposition our relations" is still in the balance.

Here are four unanswered questions from yesterday's meeting.

Will financial aid cuts and trade tariffs be reversed?

In addition to cutting aid programs that assist many African countries, Trump signed an executive order stopping all financial aid to South Africa. Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana told South Africa's parliament yesterday that the country doesn't have the funds to cover the over $430 million shortfall caused by the U.S. cutting all aid to the country. Unable to convince the adamant U.S. president that there's no white genocide going on, it seems there won't be a reversal of the executive order.

Although suspended for now, the 30 percent tariff on goods exported from South Africa to the U.S. and the additional 25 percent tariff on South African-made vehicles are still in play. Also, the African Growth and Opportunity (AGOA) trade program is due for renewal in September, but Trump has shown no interest in it, and this meeting did little to show that he's interested in a non-tense trade partnership with South Africa – unless, maybe, Ramaphosa offers the U.S. president a jet.

Is Elon Musk's Starlink finally going to get its license?

South African-born billionaire and Trump buddy Elon Musk has accused the South African government of reverse racism, stating that his satellite internet company Starlink wasn't given a license "simply because I'm not black." Before the White House meeting, it was reported that Starlink could be offered a license, bypassing longstanding ownership laws requiring corporations to be 30 percent black-owned. During the public meeting, South African businessman Johann Rupert stated that South Africa "need[s]" Starlink, a brazenly open invitation.

Meanwhile, the opposition party, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), has stated that it will "oppose Starlink in parliament as it is owned by white-genocide peddler Elon Musk and poses a Security Threat to South Africa!"

Will the U.S. keep bringing in white South Africans as refugees?

Last week, Ramaphosa called the dozens of white South Africans who arrived in the U.S. "cowards." The Trump administration noted that the refugees were fleeing genocide and were the first batch among hundreds of Afrikaners and white South Africans who had shown interest in seeking asylum. Although the Trump administration has made it a priority to forcefully remove immigrants and take away protections for asylum seekers, the focus on white South African farmers is baffling.

Agriculture minister John Steenhuisen, who's white and is the leader of South Africa's second-largest political party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), told Trump at the meeting that there's no white genocide and the overwhelming majority of white South African farmers want to stay in the country. However, since Trump appears unconvinced, it seems likely that more fringe Afrikaners and members of the white South African population who want to relocate to the U.S. will be welcomed as refugees.

Is Trump going to attend the G-20 Summit in November?

In February, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio declined to participate in the G-20 foreign ministers' meeting, citing South Africa's case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). South Africa holds the G-20 presidency and will pass it on to the U.S. next year. During their public meeting, Ramaphosa said he hopes Trump will come to South Africa for November's summit, adding that he'll be "overjoyed" to hand over the presidency in person.

Trump didn't commit to attending, continuing his administration's arm's-length approach to the forum. While Trump was evasive, Rubio againtook a hardline stance that signaled Ramaphosa and his government should not hold their breath. "We chose not to participate in this year's G-20, hosted by South Africa, either at the foreign ministers’ level or the president's level. They clearly, on the global stage and in multiple multinational organisations, have consistently been a vote against America’s interests time and again.”

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