Today, South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa is scheduled to visit President Trump. When he does, the mood will be distinctly different to the friendly reception he received from President Biden in 2022, and for good reason. With bipartisanship rare in Washington, South Africa has achieved the unusual feat of alienating both Democrats, by aligning itself with Russia against Ukraine; and Republicans, by siding with Hamas and Iran against Israel; and everyone in between by cozying up to China. If Ramaphosa is so inclined, he could propose putting South Africa on a different path, repairing relations with the U.S., and deepening ties between the two countries based on increased commerce to the benefit of South Africans and Americans alike. The alternative is to accelerate South Africa’s decline, further threatening Western interests, and making the world a more dangerous place.
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