President Donald Trump has halted aid to South Africa, escalating tensions between his administration and Pretoria over a controversial land expropriation law aimed at addressing inequality rooted in apartheid.
In an executive order signed on Friday, Trump criticized the law for showing a “shocking disregard” for citizens’ rights, claiming it would allow the South African government to confiscate land from ethnic minority Afrikaners without compensation.
Trump argued that the Expropriation Act, signed last month by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, was part of a broader pattern of policies that dismantle equal opportunities, alongside “hateful rhetoric” and government actions that have led to violence against “racially disfavored” landowners.
The order also pointed out that South Africa had adopted “aggressive positions” against the US and its allies, including accusing Israel of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and strengthening ties with Iran.
“The United States cannot support the government of South Africa’s commission of rights violations in its country or its undermining United States foreign policy, which poses national security threats to our Nation, our allies, our African partners, and our interests,” Trump stated in the order.
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He also announced that his administration would assist Afrikaners fleeing “government-sponsored race-based discrimination.”
The US president and Ramaphosa have been at odds over the law, with Trump accusing the South African government of land confiscation and mistreatment of certain groups.
On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced he would skip the upcoming G20 talks in Johannesburg in response to the legislation and other issues in South Africa.
Ramaphosa has defended the law, stating that it is not a “confiscation instrument” but part of a legal process mandated by the constitution to ensure equitable public access to land.
In a speech to parliament, he expressed defiance, stating that South Africa would remain united despite rising challenges and would not be “bullied.”
The expropriation law allows the government to seize land without compensation if deemed “just and equitable and in the public interest,” typically in cases where land is unused and after attempts to negotiate with the owner have failed.
The legislation is part of efforts to address historical land ownership imbalances resulting from colonialism and apartheid.
However, no land has been expropriated under the law yet.
The Democratic Alliance (DA), South Africa’s largest opposition party, has strongly criticized the law, fearing it threatens property rights and foreign investment.
The DA, which mainly draws support from white, Indian, and multiracial South Africans, also rejected Trump’s threats and denied that the law allows arbitrary land seizures.
Land ownership remains a contentious issue in South Africa, where Black South Africans, despite making up over 80% of the population, own just 4% of privately owned farmland. White South Africans, who represent about 7% of the population, own roughly three-quarters of the land.
Trump’s actions against South Africa are part of his broader strategy to reduce foreign aid, including moves to scale back the US Agency for International Development (USAID). In 2023, Washington allocated around $440 million in aid to South Africa.
