Ramaphosa, Trump Spar on Violence, Strengthen Trade

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa visited Washington, DC, seeking to reset relations with the US amid tensions over land reform and allegations of 'white genocide' against white farmers, claims highlighted by former President Donald Trump. During a contentious Oval Office meeting, Trump confronted Ramaphosa with videos of South African politicians' racially charged language and urged action to protect white Afrikaner farmers, while Ramaphosa dismissed the 'genocide' narrative as misinformation and emphasized that violent crime affects all South Africans. Ramaphosa underscored the significance of US-South Africa trade relations, announcing new economic cooperation channels, including on trade tariffs and the future of AGOA. South Africa’s Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein supported Trump’s condemnation of hate speech but stressed that violent crime is a problem for all races and criticized government inaction against inflammatory rhetoric. Ramaphosa reaffirmed his commitment to address race-based discrimination, uphold constitutional democracy, and defended South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the ICJ. Both sides agreed to continue dialogue, with Trump committing to attend the upcoming G20 summit in Johannesburg.