President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Feb. 7 freezing aid to South Africa, alleging discrimination against the nation’s white minority.
“The government of South Africa blatantly discriminates against ethnic minority Afrikaners,” the White House wrote in a summary of the order.
The president will also work to resettle white South African farmers and their families, labeling them as refugees, the White House added.
“As long as South Africa continues to support bad actors on the world stage and allows violent attacks on innocent disfavored minority farmers, the United States will stop aid and assistance to the country,” the summary reads.
The order also mentions South Africa’s lodging accusations at the International Court of Justice that Israel sponsored genocide in its war against Hamas.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa signed the Expropriation Act in January, allowing the expropriation or redistribution of certain unused land. The law aims to address injustices from South Africa’s years of apartheid when black residents were stripped of their land and forced to live in places designated for nonwhite people.
Elon Musk, now running Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, grew up in South Africa and has described the law as a threat to the nation’s white community.
“A massive Human Rights violation, at a minimum, is happening for all to see. The United States won’t stand for it, we will act,” Trump wrote.
After Ramaphosa signed the law in late January, some members of South Africa’s coalition government questioned its constitutionality and suggested potential court challenges.
The nation’s government noted that special conditions must be met before expropriating land, including that it has had longtime informal occupants, is unused and owned purely for speculation, or was left abandoned.
“South Africa is a constitutional democracy that is deeply rooted in the rule of law, justice and equality. The South African government has not confiscated any land.”
Ramaphosa’s office said reasons for land expropriation include promoting inclusivity and opening access to natural resources.
“In terms of this law, an expropriating authority may not expropriate property arbitrarily or for a purpose other than a public purpose or in the public interest,” his office said.
South Africa’s Democratic Alliance leader, John Steenhuisen, objected to the law and called it unconstitutional.
At the time, Trump said funding to the nation would cease until his administration completes a full investigation.
