South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has strongly criticized a policy introduced by U.S. President Donald Trump that allows white Afrikaners to apply for refugee status in the United States, describing the move as racially motivated and based on misinformation.
In remarks that marked a rare instance of direct personal criticism, Ramaphosa said Trump appeared poorly informed about South Africa’s history and current realities. According to the South African leader, the U.S. president views the country through a distorted perspective that fails to recognize the lasting damage caused by Apartheid.
Trump has repeatedly focused on South Africa since beginning his second presidential term in January 2025. He has promoted claims that white South Africans are victims of widespread persecution, including allegations that they are facing “genocide” and that the government is confiscating their land. South African officials and many analysts have rejected these assertions as inaccurate.
In May, the United States expanded eligibility for refugee status to Afrikaners, a white ethnic group historically associated with South Africa’s former apartheid-era leadership. The decision drew attention because it occurred alongside significant reductions to the broader U.S. refugee program, which typically assists individuals escaping armed conflict or political persecution.
Ramaphosa argued that prioritizing Afrikaner refugee applications reflects a racially biased approach. He stated that his government hopes the U.S. administration will eventually reconsider its stance and better understand the country’s social and political conditions.
A statement from Trump’s administration defended the policy, saying the U.S. president believes he is highlighting injustices affecting Afrikaners and described his approach as motivated by humanitarian concerns.
Ramaphosa firmly rejected claims that white South Africans are being systematically targeted. He said there is no evidence of “white genocide,” no government-led seizure of land from white citizens, and no campaign forcing white farmers to leave the country.
The South African president, who is expected to step down as leader of the African National Congress next year and conclude his presidential term in 2029, also expressed surprise at the level of attention his country receives from Trump.
“We are a relatively small nation and pose no threat to the United States,” Ramaphosa said, suggesting that the focus from Washington has been unexpected.
