President Donald Trump, in an executive order issued Friday, suspended aid to South Africa over alleged violations of the rights of Afrikaners, a white ethnic minority. The order also directs the secretaries of State and Homeland Security to prioritize the resettlement of Afrikaner refugees in the United States.

Last month, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa signed into law the Expropriation Act, which empowers the government to seize privately held land without compensation. Trump’s order says the new law “follows countless government policies designed to dismantle equal opportunity in employment, education, and business.” 

In a Truth Social post on Sunday, Trump wrote, “South Africa is confiscating land, and treating certain classes of people VERY BADLY.”

Elon Musk, a Trump ally who was born in South Africa, said Monday on X that his home country has “openly racist ownership laws.” Whether Musk influenced Trump’s move is unclear. Musk spoke Monday with Ramaphosa, who defended his government’s record on equal rights.