Johannesburg, South Africa — President Donald Trump of the United States threatened to cut off all funding to South Africa this week due to what he claims are illegal land seizures by authorities in Pretoria. Trump’s assertion is based on the false belief that white South Africans are being targeted for unlawful land confiscations, a claim vehemently denied by the South African government. In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “South Africa is confiscating land, and treating certain classes of people VERY BADLY. The United States won’t stand for it, we will act. Also, I will be cutting off all future funding to South Africa until a full investigation of this situation has been completed.”
In response, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa quickly denied any government-sanctioned land seizures, stating, “The South African government has not confiscated any land.” The Expropriation Act, adopted last month by South Africa, allows the state to reclaim land in the public interest with agreement, to address ownership disparities caused by decades of apartheid rule. Ramaphosa defended the law, emphasizing that it aims to facilitate public access to land rather than act as a tool for confiscation.
Despite this, South Africa-born billionaire and Trump’s advisor Elon Musk accused Ramaphosa’s government of having “openly racist ownership laws,” while South Africa’s mineral resources minister suggested that if Trump cuts funding, South Africa should consider withholding mineral exports to the US.
The Expropriation Act signed by Ramaphosa aims to address racial disparities in land ownership after apartheid. The law does not allow for arbitrary expropriation, requiring agreement with the landowner. The government asserts that it enables a constitutionally mandated legal process and allows for expropriation without compensation in circumstances deemed just and equitable and in the public interest.
Claims that the government unfairly targets white South Africans have been made without evidence by Trump. AfriForum, a right-wing lobby group, has lobbied Trump and the US Congress, alleging threats to property rights following the passage of the Expropriation Act. However, researchers and academics have debunked claims of politically motivated attacks on white farmers, attributing them to broader violent crime issues in South Africa.
The history of land dispossession in South Africa is deeply rooted in colonialism and apartheid, with the majority Black population still facing stark land ownership disparities. Land reform discussions have become increasingly relevant in political discourse since the end of apartheid in 1994.
Trump’s comments on South Africa’s land policy may be part of a coercive foreign policy agenda, with potential motivations including misinformation and political factors. This is not the first time Trump has raised concerns about attacks on white South Africans, with past tweets directing his administration to investigate land seizures and farmer killings in the country.