The United States has halted all federal funding to South Africa, US President Donald Trump announced on Friday, citing alleged land confiscation and discrimination against white farmers. “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,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.
He further stated that South African farmers seeking to leave the country for safety reasons would be granted a “rapid pathway to Citizenship” in the US, adding that the process would begin immediately.
According to US government data, American foreign assistance to South Africa amounted to $323.4 million in 2024. The decision to suspend aid was formalised in an executive order issued on 7 February and was officially implemented through a state department directive on Thursday.
US Aid Blockage Over ‘Unjust Racial Discrimination’ Against White Afrikaners: Report
As per a cable accessed by The Guardian, Secretary of State Marco Rubio ordered an immediate pause on most US foreign aid to South Africa, citing “egregious actions.” The directive mandates all state department entities to suspend aid disbursements, barring minimal exceptions.
“To effectively implement EO 14204, all bureaus, offices and missions shall pause all obligations and/or dispersion of aid or assistance to South Africa,” the cable, signed by Rubio, stated. The order specifically refers to “unjust racial discrimination” against white Afrikaners—descendants of Dutch colonisers who had implemented the apartheid system until 1994.
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Elon Musk, the South African-born billionaire and Trump ally who heads the administration’s government efficiency team, is seen as an influential figure in shaping this policy. Musk has previously condemned South Africa’s land laws, accusing the government of implementing “openly racist policies.”
Rubio has delegated authority over aid decisions to Pete Marocco, a Trump loyalist known for overseeing previous cuts to US foreign aid programs, The Guardian reported. The guidance states there is a “very high bar” for exemptions. However, Pepfar, the US global HIV/AIDS programme supporting millions of South Africans, will continue without additional review, while all other aid programmes will require special approval.
This latest move adds to growing tensions between the two nations. Trump has previously criticised South Africa’s expropriation bill, which allows land acquisition without compensation in certain cases. The South African government insists the measure is subject to judicial oversight and aims to address historic inequalities. President Cyril Ramaphosa has dismissed Trump’s allegations as misinformation.
Trump has also condemned South Africa’s leading role in the genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice and has extended refugee status to wealthy Afrikaners wishing to relocate to the US
The aid suspension follows South Africa’s recent announcement of a new trade proposal for the Trump administration, amid concerns over the future of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which has facilitated billions in duty-free exports to the US
Earlier on Thursday, South Africa acknowledged the US withdrawal from the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), following Trump’s decision to revoke international climate finance initiatives.
