Trump names Elon Musk in Oval Office meeting with South Africa’s leader but says it’s unfair to involve him in diplomacy.

Trump Highlights South Africa Ties During Oval Office Talks

President Donald Trump addressed U.S.–South Africa relations on Wednesday during an Oval Office meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. The conversation included a sensitive discussion about violence against white farmers in South Africa, with Trump and Ramaphosa debating whether the situation amounts to a "genocide."

As reporters inquired about ways to improve relations between the two nations, Trump expressed personal interest in the matter, citing his friendships with several South African natives. Among those mentioned were professional golfers Ernie Els and Retief Goosen, who were present at the meeting, as well as entrepreneur Elon Musk.

Trump Mentions Musk But Declines Diplomatic Involvement

Although Musk’s name surfaced in the conversation, Trump quickly clarified that he did not intend to involve the billionaire in any official diplomatic efforts. “I don’t want to get Elon involved. That’s all I have to do, get him into another thing,” Trump said, eliciting light laughter in the room. “But Elon happens to be from South Africa. This is what Elon wanted. He actually came here on a different subject — sending rockets to Mars — OK? He likes that better. He likes that subject better. But Elon’s from South Africa, and I don’t want to talk to him about that. I don’t think it’s fair to him.”

Musk, who was reportedly present at the Oval Office meeting, has in the past criticized the South African government and referred to the violence in the country as a “genocide.” Trump’s comments appeared to recognize Musk’s origin while also insulating him from the political implications of the ongoing conflict.

Trump’s remarks come at a time when Musk’s artificial intelligence platform, X, faced backlash for its chatbot Grok’s unsolicited responses about racial tensions and attacks against white farmers in South Africa. Musk’s AI company later attributed the responses to an “unauthorized modification” in Grok’s algorithm, distancing the company from politically charged outputs.

The meeting reinforced Trump’s continued interest in global affairs involving allied nations while emphasizing a boundary between business leaders and foreign policy responsibilities. It also underscored Musk’s dual identity as a U.S.-based tech leader and a native of South Africa amid geopolitical scrutiny.