Trump offers ‘rapid pathway’ to US citizenship for displaced South African farmers

Trump made this declaration on his Truth Social platform, stating that the offer is intended to support farmers who have allegedly lost their land due to South Africa’s land reform policies.

The issue has fueled tensions between Trump and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, particularly regarding the country’s Expropriation Act, which permits land redistribution without compensation under specific circumstances.

Trump strongly condemned South Africa’s land expropriation policy, framing it as a direct threat to white farmers and accusing the South African government of discrimination.

In response to the policy, he imposed sanctions targeting the South African government, further escalating diplomatic tensions between Washington and Pretoria.

“South Africa is being terrible, plus, to long time Farmers in the country. They are confiscating their LAND and FARMS, and MUCH WORSE THAN THAT. A bad place to be right now, and we are stopping all Federal Funding.”

“To go a step further, any Farmer (with family!) from South Africa, seeking to flee that country for reasons of safety, will be invited into the United States of America with a rapid pathway to Citizenship. This process will begin immediately!” Trump said.

In response, South African officials have defended the law, asserting that it aims to address historical land inequalities while adhering to constitutional guidelines.

The South African government, including Ramaphosa, has dismissed Trump’s statements as misleading and politically motivated, further straining diplomatic relations between the two nations

The government asserts that the law does not arbitrarily seize land but follows constitutional guidelines to balance public interest with property rights.

Critics of Trump’s stance, including South African opposition parties, have said that his characterization of the law is misleading and fails to consider the complexities of land reform in the country​

In response to Trump’s claims, South Africa condemned his statements as “propaganda” and accused the U.S. of using misinformation to justify freezing aid to the country.

This dispute adds to broader diplomatic tensions between the two nations, especially given South Africa’s recent foreign policy moves, such as its genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice​