US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order freezing financial aid to South Africa, citing concerns over the country’s new land law and its legal action against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Trump, who had earlier threatened to cut funding, accused the South African government of violating property rights through its land expropriation law, which allows for land seizures without compensation under specific conditions.
The executive order stated that the US will not support South Africa's human rights violations and will withhold funding until they end.
The South African government has condemned the decision, calling it "a campaign of misinformation and propaganda" against the country. A statement from its Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation argued that Trump's actions fail to recognize South Africa’s painful history of colonialism and apartheid.
Meanwhile, Elon Musk, a close Trump adviser and South African-born billionaire, joined the criticism, questioning President Cyril Ramaphosa on X about "racist ownership laws."
In a controversial move, the White House announced plans to resettle Afrikaner farmers and their families—who are mostly white descendants of early Dutch and French settlers—as refugees under the United States Refugee Admissions Program.
Trump’s executive order also referenced South Africa’s ICJ case against Israel, accusing the country of taking an aggressive stance against the US and its allies. The order specifically highlighted South Africa’s renewed diplomatic ties with Iran as a "security concern".
Ramaphosa has not directly responded to Trump’s accusations, but his office confirmed that he held a call with Musk to reiterate South Africa’s constitutional values of justice, fairness, and equality.
As tensions between the US and South Africa escalate, the freeze on financial aid is expected to have significant diplomatic and economic implications for the latter country.
Find below Trump's order.
