South African President Cyril Ramaphosa arrived in Washington on May 21, 2025, with his delegation, seeking a diplomatic reset and a fresh start after months of strained relations with the President Donald Trump administration.

Ramaphosa enjoyed a brief wave of sympathy after his White House ambush but he is a problematic leader, writes Sizwe Mpofu Walsh.

A local representative of an area shown in a video played at the White House said she was "sad" that U.S. President Donald Trump used the footage of hundreds of white crosses as false evidence of mass killings of white South African farmers.