‘Unmitigated disaster’: Trump ready to humiliate U.S. by bullying South African President while world leaders watch in horror

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s upcoming meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in the Oval Office is expected to be tense.

The relationship between the two countries has worsened significantly, partly because of Trump’s claims of a “white genocide” in South Africa and other policy disputes. Ramaphosa’s visit is meant to repair these damaged ties, but there are major obstacles in the way.

Trump’s administration has taken several steps that have hurt relations between the two countries. According to Politico, the US has stopped giving aid to South Africa, pointing to unproven accusations of racial discrimination against the white Afrikaner minority. Additionally, the US has given refugee status to a group of white South Africans, a decision that South Africa sees as supporting Trump’s version of events.

Making matters worse, the possible cancellation of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) could end South Africa’s ability to export certain goods to the US without tariffs, which would harm the South African economy.

South African president bringing golf players to ease Trump’s anger

Knowing that Trump enjoys golf, Ramaphosa is said to be bringing well-known South African golfers Ernie Els and Retief Goosen to the meeting, per The Guardian. This plan also involves billionaire Johann Rupert, who has known Trump for a long time. The idea is to use personal connections to make the meeting go more smoothly and increase the chances of a good result. Rupert, who is playing an important role in these diplomatic efforts, has already met with Trump to argue in favor of keeping AGOA in place.

However, Ramaphosa’s efforts are facing strong resistance from Republicans. Trump’s focus on the supposed mistreatment of white farmers has struck a chord with many of his supporters, while other Republicans are unhappy with South Africa’s positions on global issues.

Cameron Hudson, former director for African affairs on the National Security Council during the George W. Bush administration said, “Ramaphosa is walking into a buzzsaw in the Oval Office,” and that the visit would be an “unmitigated disaster.”

South Africa’s actions at the UN’s International Court of Justice against Israel, its ties with China and Russia, and its domestic policies on land redistribution have upset different groups within the Republican party. This has created a wide range of opposition to Ramaphosa getting a positive outcome from the meeting.

The South African government has tried to respond to these concerns. They stress that the land redistribution program is meant to correct past injustices from the apartheid era, not to target white farmers. Ramaphosa’s administration has also tried to explain its foreign policy choices, but these attempts have not been very successful.

The possible results of the meeting are serious.

Trump has suggested he might place tariffs on South African goods, which could cause major economic harm. South Africa’s unemployment rate is already over 30%, and a trade conflict with the US would make the country’s economic problems even worse.

Beyond the issues between the two countries, the meeting could have wider effects on US-Africa relations. The outcome will shape how people view the US’s dedication to Africa and its stance on racial justice and economic development.

A bad result could harm relations with other African nations, adding to concerns about the Trump administration’s foreign policy and its willingness to ignore long-standing alliances. Because of this, the meeting is very important, not just for South Africa, but for all of Africa.