The U.S. government has halted all federal aid to South Africa, citing concerns over the country’s land reform policies, which President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk claim unfairly target white farmers. President Donald Trump announced on Friday that South African farmers would be granted a “rapid pathway” to American citizenship, further escalating tensions between Washington and Pretoria.
South Africa enacted the Expropriation Act in January, a law aimed at addressing historical land ownership disparities stemming from apartheid. The legislation allows the government to seize and redistribute land, in some cases without compensation, provided the action is deemed “just, equitable, and in the public interest.” Officials argue the law seeks to correct racial imbalances in land ownership, as Black South Africans—who make up over 80% of the population—own only about 4% of private land, according to CNN.
Trump’s stance on South Africa’s land policies is not new. During his first term in 2018, he directed then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to investigate farmland seizures and alleged violence against white farmers. However, South African officials dismissed his claims as “false information.” The farming organization AgriSA reported that nearly 50 farmers were killed in a 12-month period between 2017 and 2018, marking a 20-year low in such incidents.
Musk, a South African native born in Pretoria, has also been vocal in his criticism of the country’s leadership. In 2023, he accused South African organizers of “openly pushing for genocide of white people” after the controversial song Kill the Boer was chanted at a public gathering. While some historians argue the song symbolizes the fight against apartheid, Musk labeled South Africa’s land policies as “openly racist.”
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In response to Trump’s executive order, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa defended the Expropriation Act, stating that it aims to ensure “equitable and just” access to land. However, Trump has remained firm in his opposition, recently accusing South African leaders of “doing some terrible things, horrible things” and vowing to investigate the country’s policies.
The South African government condemned Trump’s executive order on February 8, asserting that its premise “lacks factual accuracy and fails to recognize South Africa’s profound and painful history of colonialism and apartheid.”
