Trump Signs Executive Order Against South Africa Over Land Reforms

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday aimed at stopping "aid and assistance" to South Africa due to alleged "human rights violations," particularly concerning a controversial land reform act said to discriminate against white South Africans.

The executive order outlines plans to resettle "Afrikaners," a term for white South Africans predominantly of Dutch and Huguenot descent, as refugees fleeing "government-sponsored race-based discrimination." This development follows Trump's previous executive order that suspended the United States Refugee Admission Program for 90 days on his first day in office.

In January, South Africa implemented the Expropriation Act to address historical land ownership disparities stemming from apartheid by allowing the government to appropriate land "in the public interest" without compensation in certain situations, such as when properties are abandoned or in poor condition. Under apartheid, which lasted from 1948 to 1994, South Africa was governed by a system of racial segregation.

Currently, while white landowners constitute around 8% of South Africa's population, they possess approximately 75% of the farmland. In contrast, Black South Africans, representing about 80% of the population, own only 4%, according to a 2017 land audit.

Trump and his South African-born advisor, Elon Musk, criticized the situation. Trump remarked on Truth Social, “South Africa is confiscating land, and treating certain classes of people VERY BADLY,” and announced plans to cut off funding until a thorough investigation occurs.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa countered Trump's claims, stating on Musk's social media platform that, “The South African government has not confiscated any land,” and emphasized that the country has expropriation laws that balance public land needs and property owners' rights.

Musk then inquired about the existence of racially biased ownership laws in South Africa.

The executive order further states that South Africa unfairly discriminates against "ethnic minority Afrikaners" and accused the nation of taking hostile stances against the U.S. following Hamas's assault on Israel on October 7, 2023.

“South Africa accused Israel, not Hamas, of genocide in the International Court of Justice,” the order claims.

The order requires that all executive departments and agencies cease foreign aid to South Africa "to the maximum extent allowed by the law." The U.S. committed nearly $440 million in aid to South Africa in 2023, as per Reuters. Only funds supporting 17% of South Africa's HIV/AIDS program would remain unaffected, as clarified by Ramaphosa.