President Trump and his supporters have painted a picture of South Africa as a dangerous place for white people, citing discrimination, job exclusion, violence, and the threat of land seizures by a corrupt Black-led government. However, data shows that white people in South Africa own at least half of the land, are not more vulnerable to violent crime, and are better off economically than Black citizens. Despite this, Trump’s narrative about South Africa is intended to stoke fears of anti-white discrimination in America if diversity is promoted.
Since the end of apartheid in 1994, white South Africans have thrived, but some Trump supporters have drawn parallels between South Africa’s attempts to address the injustices of apartheid and America’s struggle with racial discrimination. President Nelson Mandela allowed white individuals to keep their wealth to maintain a peaceful transition to democracy, and the African National Congress has enacted laws to address the wealth gap between Black and white citizens. Despite these efforts, some white South Africans believe laws unfairly target landowners and commercial farmers, who remain predominantly white.
President Trump’s political identity has been built on a commitment to protecting white America, evident in his defense of white symbols, criticism of racial sensitivity training, and support for white supremacists. His executive order granting refugee status to Afrikaners and suspending aid to South Africa in response to its land-reform law reflects his alignment with white interests. While some Afrikaners have welcomed Trump’s embrace, critics argue that he is disregarding the facts in favor of advancing his political agenda.
The focus on Afrikaner grievances has gained traction among Trump’s allies, with figures like Elon Musk and Tucker Carlson sharing narratives of white farmers being targeted and killed in South Africa. Despite the lack of evidence supporting these claims, Trump has used these stories as a comparison to issues in the United States. The involvement of American far-right influencers in promoting these narratives underscores the global implications of Trump’s views on race and discrimination.
Many South African voters acknowledge the failures of the African National Congress in addressing corruption, crime, poverty, and inequality in the country. While the party has embraced market-oriented policies that have allowed white South Africans to maintain economic power, some critics argue that more aggressive land redistribution is needed to address historical injustices. Supporters of the new land law hope it will accelerate the process of returning land to Black South Africans who were displaced during apartheid.
The portrayal of Afrikaners as victims of racial discrimination resonates with the American far-right’s narrative of white Christian civilization being under threat. Despite Trump’s offer of refuge to some white Africans, many Afrikaners prefer to remain in South Africa and call for an end to government racism against white citizens. The rebranding of Afrikaners as victims plays into the fears and appeals of evangelicals and others in the United States, highlighting the intersection of race, politics, and global perspectives on discrimination.
