His state visit comes at a time when his country’s relations with the US are at the lowest they have been in decades.

South Africa’s finance chief said the government made progress on resetting its relationship with the US and securing a trade deal in talks that took place after President Cyril Ramaphosa’s showdown with Donald Trump at the White House.

Senior Fellow for Africa Policy Studies and former ambassador Michelle Gavin breaks down the tense U.S.-South Africa meeting at the White House.

President Donald Trump evoked South Africa native Elon Musk unprompted during an Oval Office meeting with President Cyril Ramaphosa, but denied the DOGE chief would play a diplomatic role.