To ease tension and keep the meeting enjoyable, South African president Cyril Ramaphosa brought pro golfers with him to meet with Donald Trump.
The president of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, is in Washington to meet with President Donald Trump on Wednesday, and he has brought a pair of former U.S. Open champions, players he knows and admires, with him.
According to the New York Times, “Joining the South African delegation alongside the typical assortment of cabinet ministers and other aides will be Ernie Els, the former world No. 1 golfer, and the two-time U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen.”
“They are South African, they know the truth about our country,” Vincent Magwenya, Mr. Ramaphosa’s spokesman, said in a text message, the New York Times reports. “They also have a close relationship with President Trump. Therefore, they’ve been vital in assisting with bridging the gap between the reality in South Africa and President Trump’s own view of the country.”
As USA Today reported last week, Trump granted 59 White South Africans refugee status and welcomed them to the United States, alleging they were victims of racial discrimination in South Africa. The government of South Africa and human rights activists dispute the Trump administration’s claims, and Ramaphosa is in Washington to ease tensions with the United States government.
Trump’s love of golf is well known, and he frequently plays at his courses in Florida, Virginia, and New Jersey. His courses have also hosted LIV Golf events, and Trump has played over the years with numerous professional players, including Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Bryson DeChambeau, Annika Sorenstam and South Africa’s Gary Player. In 2013, Trump posted a photo of himself and Els on his Facebook page.
According to the Palm Beach Post, Trump claims to have won the 2025 club championship, the senior club championship and teamed with Finnish president Alexander Stubb to win the men’s member-guest tournament at Trump International West Palm Beach.
