President Cyril Ramaphosa and United States President Donald Trump are scheduled to meet for talks today, 21 May 2025, at the White House in Washington D.C. at 17:30 SAST (11:30 EDT).
The discussions are anticipated to cover a range of critical topics, central to the relationship between the two nations. Key agenda items emerging from various briefings include trade relations, US concerns over South African domestic policies, and broader geopolitical discussions, including a potential deal for Elon Musk’s Starlink service.
President Ramaphosa has expressed his objective for the visit, stating, “The trade relations between South Africa and the United States will be the focus of my working visit here. We aim to strengthen and consolidate relations between our two countries.” He further noted, “We invest in the United States and they invest in us, and we want to strengthen those relations, and we want to consolidate good relations between our two countries, so I’m very positive.”
Trade is a significant point, particularly as South Africa has been slapped with tariffs as high as 30%. To facilitate these talks, South Africa plans to offer incentives, including deals related to agriculture and mineral resources.
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Addressing Policy Concerns and Bilateral Ties
A second major area for discussion involves addressing concerns voiced by the US administration regarding certain South African domestic policies. President Trump has previously “accused South Africa of ‘egregious actions'” and gave Afrikaners refugee status, insisting they were victims of ‘race-based discrimination’.”
Furthermore, claims of a “genocide” of white farmers in South Africa, promoted by Trump and Elon Musk, are expected to be addressed. The South African leader is approaching the talks with a view to reset the relationship.
The third key component of the agenda involves discussions on “geopolitical issues, not only Israel, but also Ukraine, and all these matters will be on the table for proper discussion,” according to President Ramaphosa.
Pretoria-born Musk is expected to join President Trump in the meeting. The South African delegation includes several ministers, as well as businessman Johann Rupert and golfers Ernie Els and Retief Goosen, in a bid to foster positive future talks. President Trump will be joined by Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, among others.
Image: The Presidency/X
