Ramaphosa hails Trump meeting a success despite ambush
Ramaphosa said trade, investment and golf were on the agenda when he met Trump.
US President Donald Trump shakes hands with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on May 21, 2025. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa meets Donald Trump on Wednesday amid tensions over Washington's resettlement of white Afrikaners that the US president claims are the victims of 'genocide.' (Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP)
President Cyril Ramaphosa says his visit to the Oval Office at the White House and meeting with his US counterpart, Donald Trump, was a major success despite the US President's ambush.
Ramaphosa met Trump on Wednesday. He was joined by four ministers, renowned businessman Johann Rupert and golfers Ernie Els and Retief Goosen.
The meeting between Trump and Ramaphosa started off with an amicable discussion, but took a dramatic shift to violence against white farmers and Afrikaners in South Africa when the US president played videos to prove genocide in the country.
ALSO READ: 'There is doubt in Trump's head about genocide in SA,' Ramaphosa says [VIDEO]
The videos which were played on a television screen in the Oval Office, featured EFF leader Julius Malema chanting 'Kill the Boer, Kill the Farmer'.
Meeting fruitful
Despite the unsubstantiated claims made by Trump about genocide in South Africa, Ramaphosa said the meeting with Trump was fruitful.
'We were able to have a robust engagement with Trump, and it was also good to have a number of members of the delegation to field either a number of questions or make comments. So, that it my view was really good.'
Ramaphosa said he had a good working lunch with Trump and his officials after the open bilateral talks.
'The discussions revolved of course around golf, but they also revolved around issues of trade and investment and discussing all that want to confirm there will continue to be engagement between South Africa and the United States officials, particularly the trade and industry level to deal with the package of issues that have to do with trade and investment.'
WATCH President Cyril Ramaphosa addressing the media
[ON AIR] President Cyril Ramaphosa says the meeting with US President Donald Trump was fruitful despite a 'number of issues'. #DStv403 #NewsNight #QustionThinkAct pic.twitter.com/bzqx2mftj4
May 21, 2025
Agoa
Ramaphosa said the issue of Agoa also came up over lunch.
'It's going to be further discussed in the engagements that we're going to have. The [US] Secretary of Commerce and our Trade and Industry Minister are going to be able to take that discussion forward,' Ramaphosa said.
Ramaphosa added that it was Trump's suggestion to include Els and Goosen in the meeting — 'because he loves them, he's a golfer, he's an avid golfer and he respects the South African icons'.
ALSO READ: WATCH: Donald Trump ambushes Cyril Ramaphosa in Oval Office
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