Trump Calls for the Arrest of Julius Malema for Anti-White Rhetoric

U.S. President Donald Trump has urged South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to take legal action against Julius Malema, leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), following renewed controversy over the chant "Kill the Boer." The call came during a formal meeting at the White House on Wednesday, where senior officials and business leaders from both countries were present.

The discussion, originally intended to address diplomatic and economic matters, took a sharp turn when Trump referenced a widely circulated video of Malema speaking in Parliament about land reform. The EFF has since claimed the clip was taken out of context and misrepresented to advance a misleading agenda.

Trump's remarks mark a further deterioration in U.S.–South Africa relations, which have become increasingly strained during his second term in office. His administration has consistently criticized South Africa’s land reform initiatives, with Trump previously characterizing them as unjust seizures of property from white farmers — a narrative the South African government strongly rejects.

Tensions escalated further earlier this year when Washington announced a reduction in HIV/AIDS funding to South Africa. The situation was compounded by the United States granting asylum to 49 white South Africans, citing alleged racial persecution — a move Pretoria has dismissed as baseless.

Adding to the controversy, Trump posted on his social media platforms earlier this year voicing strong opposition to South Africa’s Expropriation Act. He questioned whether the U.S. should attend the G20 summit in a country where, according to him, land confiscations and violence against white farmers are occurring.

“They are taking land from white farmers and killing them and their families,” Trump stated online. “Is this the right environment for such an important global gathering?”