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There is a new spectacle in global politics, ‘Trial by Trump,’ where the world gets to watch live on-screen US President Donald Trump tear into the leaders of other countries. The brutal takedown of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in February is etched in public memory. Since that infamous meeting, foreign leaders have approached the Oval Office with caution.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s turn came on 21 May. Just a week earlier, 59 Caucasian South Africans were taken as refugees into the US, adding fuel to a narrative pushed by Trump that Ramaphosa’s government had failed to protect Caucasian farmers from what the latter alleged was a “genocide."
Land ownership is one of the most complex legacies of South Africa’s apartheid rule. Even today, over 80% of its 63 million population owns only around 4% of private land. Hence, equitable land distribution has been on the agenda of the African National Congress (ANC). But the accusation of genocide to wipe out Caucasian farmers is baseless.
Ramaphosa may have left Washington without any signed trade deal or new investment pledges, but he gained credibility. His restraint in the face of what was essentially a media ambush won respect from allies and silenced some critics at home.
In 2024, South Africa dragged Israel, a US ally, to the International Court of Justice for allegedly violating the Genocide Convention in Gaza. It also stood accused of aiding Russia’s war effort—not by direct support, but through ambiguous neutrality, joint military drills and the docking of a sanctioned Russian vessel near Cape Town. South Africa’s unilateral decision to move Taiwan’s liaison office from Pretoria may also have been a sore point. Trump, whose billionaire friend Elon Musk is originally from South Africa, may have planned to corner Ramaphosa with these accusations all along.
Given these tensions, the likelihood of a repeat of the Zelensky encounter seemed significant. However, having drawn lessons from that episode, Ramaphosa might have arrived at the Oval Office prepared. When Trump turned the meeting into a confrontation with a highly curated presentation of Caucasian Afrikaner killings ‘backed’ by news items, videos and headlines, the South African leader did not take the bait.
Others might have faltered under pressure, but Ramaphosa kept his composure. Drawing on his background as a lawyer, he responded not with emotion, but reason. When asked, Trump couldn’t reveal the origins of those videos, and his inability to validate his own evidence exposed the hollowness of the onslaught.
What followed was a tactical pivot. Ramaphosa delegated the discussion to his team, notably his agriculture minister and Democratic Alliance leader John Steenhuisen. Together, they reframed the narrative: The real problem in South Africa isn’t racial persecution but crime, corruption and economic stagnation. They acknowledged South Africa’s many challenges in pitching Pretoria as a partner in search of solutions.
Ramaphosa may have left Washington without any signed trade deal or new investment pledges, but he gained credibility. His restraint in the face of what was essentially a media ambush won respect from allies and silenced some critics at home. Importantly, he helped de-escalate tensions that could have jeopardized South Africa’s access to opportunities under America’s African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), on which its exporters rely.
Trump’s Oval Office ambush may also yield Ramaphosa political benefits at home. Last year, after dismal results in national elections, the ANC was forced to form a coalition government known as the Government of National Unity (GNU). For almost a year now, there have been public spats between parties inside and outside the coalition over land and healthcare legislation and a budget push to hike taxes. Earlier this year, this almost resulted in the coalition’s collapse.
In this round of ‘Trial by Trump,’ Ramaphosa may have seemed bruised a bit, but he was not defeated. Rather, having retained his composure, he has presented the US with a diplomatic off-ramp. The visit may actually catalyse a more strategic and economically beneficial relationship between South Africa and its second most vital trade partner.
Trump’s aggression seems to have unified the GNU. The ‘crisis’ gave its members a reason to close ranks, at least temporarily. Ramaphosa’s inclusion of Steenhuisen in trade negotiations showed a spirit of cooperation. Despite the traditional monopoly of the ANC over foreign policy matters, it became a shared endeavour this time, showcasing the coalition’s potential when aligned by purpose. Thus, the Trump onslaught may prove to be a blessing in disguise for the GNU.
It is not yet over. South Africa’s economy has been floundering. Public institutions are hobbled by corruption and largely dysfunctional. Public infrastructure, especially its electricity distribution system, is teetering. Ramaphosa desperately needs US investment to tackle unemployment, seen as a key factor in the country’s high crime rate. There is also the risk that the AGOA may not be renewed, as it might not fit into Trump’s isolationist world-view.
In this round of ‘Trial by Trump,’ Ramaphosa may have seemed bruised a bit, but he was not defeated. Rather, having retained his composure, he has presented the US with a diplomatic off-ramp. The visit may actually catalyse a more strategic and economically beneficial relationship between South Africa and its second most vital trade partner.
Yet, Ramaphosa’s biggest test will come in November, when South Africa will host the G20 Summit in Johannesburg. Securing Trump’s participation would be a diplomatic win. Meanwhile, if the AGOA lapses, thousands of South African jobs tied to exports could be lost. If renewed, it would signal sustained trade ties, which Ramaphosa’s calm under fire would have helped achieve. For now, Ramaphosa has shown that even under the harshest political spotlight, diplomacy can prevail over demagoguery.
This commentary originally appeared in MINT.
The views expressed above belong to the author(s). ORF research and analyses now available on Telegram! Click here to access our curated content — blogs, longforms and interviews.
Samir Bhattacharya is an Associate Fellow at ORF where he works on geopolitics with particular reference to Africa in the changing global order. He has a ...
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