Ernie Els defends South Africa as Trump confronts Ramaphosa over white farmer claims
Els and Goosen join Ramaphosa in White House meeting as Trump pushes claims of persecution against white South Africans.
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| Professional golfer Ernie Els (top left) speaks during a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on May 21, 2025. Photo by Jim Watson/AFP |
By Yuni Utomo and Randy Ahmad
The diplomatic encounter at the White House took an unexpected turn when Trump, flanked by aides and media, confronted the South African president with a video that he said showed black politicians calling for the persecution of white people. The moment brought global attention to longstanding political tensions in South Africa, particularly around race, land ownership, and security.
Trump’s allegation—already widely discredited by international observers—was met with firm resistance from Ramaphosa, who worked to dismantle the narrative throughout the meeting. In an effort to reinforce his message of a unified South Africa, Ramaphosa had invited two of the country’s most internationally respected white sportsmen: Ernie Els and Retief Goosen, both multiple major championship winners.
The choice to bring Els and Goosen, who collectively hold four major titles and extensive international appeal, appeared to be a strategic one—especially considering Trump’s long-standing love for golf and his ownership of several golf courses.
Ernie Els: A symbol of post-apartheid unity
As Trump insisted on his claims, he asked Els to share his views. The 55-year-old, known for his calm demeanor on the course and nicknamed “The Big Easy,” stepped forward from behind a White House sofa, pulled out his passport, and said simply, “I’m a proud South African.”
Els reminded those present that he grew up during apartheid and witnessed the country’s transformation firsthand. Referring to Nelson Mandela’s legacy, Els added, “I know there was a lot of anger through the transition, there was a lot of stuff happening in the apartheid days. But I don't think two wrongs make a right.”
By evoking Mandela, South Africa’s first Black president and a symbol of reconciliation, Els subtly rebuked Trump's divisive claims while emphasizing the need for continued unity across racial lines. His words echoed the inclusive values Mandela espoused after the fall of apartheid in 1994, and they landed with quiet power in a room otherwise charged with political tension.
Trump’s unverified claims ignite controversy
Trump has repeatedly amplified claims that white South African farmers are targets of systemic violence—a narrative rejected by the South African government and fact-checked by independent organizations. During the meeting, he played a video purportedly showing inflammatory statements by black politicians. However, many of these clips have been previously debunked or taken out of context.
While Ramaphosa pushed back on the portrayal, calling it misleading, Trump remained steadfast. The moment underlined growing tensions between his administration and democratic governments globally, especially on issues where far-right narratives gain traction.
The meeting was private, but sources confirmed its contents to the press, and portions of the exchange were leaked online, generating global headlines.
Retief Goosen shares personal farm struggles
Retief Goosen, the soft-spoken 56-year-old and two-time U.S. Open champion, also took part in the discussion. Speaking in a calm tone, Goosen revealed that his family still owns a farm in South Africa’s Limpopo province, where they have faced threats of arson.
“It’s a constant battle with... them trying to burn the farm down to chase you away,” Goosen said, referring to criminal activity in rural areas. However, like Els, Goosen stopped short of labeling the situation a genocide, emphasizing instead the challenges of rural security rather than organized racial persecution.
Goosen’s remarks painted a more nuanced picture of the difficulties facing South Africa’s agricultural community—challenges that affect both white and black farmers across the nation.
The golfers’ legacy in global sport
Ernie Els and Retief Goosen are widely considered among the greatest golfers to come out of South Africa. Els, inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2011, won the U.S. Open in 1994 and 1997, and the British Open in 2002 and 2012. Known for his graceful swing and towering presence, Els is beloved worldwide and has long maintained dual residences in Florida and South Africa.
He famously declined to join the Saudi-backed LIV Golf tour, criticizing its format and asserting, “It’s not proper golf.” This refusal further bolstered his image as a principled sportsman.
Goosen, known for his resilience after surviving a lightning strike as a teenager, also captured two U.S. Open titles in 2001 and 2004. Raised in Polokwane, formerly Pietersburg, his upbringing was shaped by both farming and suburban life. Like Els, he now divides his time between homes in South Africa, Florida, and England.
A political gamble by Ramaphosa
Ramaphosa’s decision to bring two white sports icons to the White House highlighted his attempt to craft a new image of South Africa—one in which reconciliation still leads the national identity despite economic and social turmoil. The moment was as symbolic as it was strategic.
Yet the meeting underscored how foreign powers, including the United States under Trump’s leadership, may exploit racial narratives for political gain.
South Africa’s government has frequently pushed back against the white genocide myth. The country's own crime statistics show that violent crime affects people of all races, and there is no evidence of a state-backed campaign against white farmers. However, opposition politicians in both countries have used the narrative to stoke political support.
International fallout and domestic responses
The White House meeting stirred criticism both within South Africa and abroad. Human rights groups accused Trump of promoting misinformation and deepening racial divisions. Meanwhile, some South African commentators questioned Ramaphosa’s decision to dignify the narrative by engaging with it at all.
Back home, opposition parties seized on the moment to question Ramaphosa’s leadership, with some accusing him of pandering to Western powers. Others praised his composure and noted the importance of correcting misinformation in real time.
Els’s statement, in particular, resonated with many South Africans across the racial and political spectrum. His use of Mandela’s legacy to rebuff Trump’s divisive rhetoric became one of the defining soundbites of the day.
A diplomatic moment remembered
As the meeting concluded, no formal agreements were made, but it served as a reminder of how sport, identity, and international politics often intersect. Ernie Els and Retief Goosen, two champions of the fairway, became unlikely ambassadors for South Africa’s complicated and often misunderstood present.
Their presence helped Ramaphosa navigate one of the more delicate diplomatic confrontations of his presidency—and Els’s quiet assertion of national pride may have done more to challenge misinformation than any official rebuttal.
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