WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 14: Brent Bozell, Founder and President of the Media Research Center, speaks during the "Climate Hustle" panel discussion at the Rayburn House Office Building on April 14, 2016 in Washington, DC. (Kris Connor/Getty Images)
The United States (US) ambassador to South Africa, Leo Brent Bozell III, says that Washington and Pretoria’s relationship should be driven by trade and investment rather than aid.
Business and diplomatic relations between the Trump administration and South Africa have been characterised by heightened tensions, punitive tariffs, and direct intervention in South Africa’s domestic policies.
US funding to SA
In 2025, President Cyril Ramaphosa described the United States’ decision to cut aid funding to South Africa as a “wake-up call” for the country to develop its own capabilities.
Since taking office in January 2025, US President Donald Trump cut funding to several countries, including South Africa, creating a funding gap for health organisations across the country. South Africa previously received about $448.5 million (R8.5 billion) from the US for health programmes, especially those supporting the fight against Aids.
ALSO READ: WATCH: Ramaphosa describes US funding cut to SA as a ‘wake-up call’, says ‘it’s their money’
Economic partnership
In a recent opinion piece in Business Day, Bozell pushed for a deeper, more balanced US-South Africa economic partnership, framed around “the art of the possible”.
“Progress in diplomacy, just like in business, depends on our willingness to act on what we can achieve now, while keeping an open mind about what we can build together in the future. That is the art of the possible, and for me it begins with listening, understanding and finding practical ways to solve problems.
“Since my arrival, I have been encouraged by the positive discussions with the South African government as we seek to address the obstacles to exploring the art of the possible to unlock and expand the opportunities that exist between our two countries,” Bozell said.
SA’s pivotal role
Bozell added that he has also been encouraged by the South African business and community leaders he met, from Johannesburg and Durban to Cape Town and beyond.
“It is clear that South Africa plays a pivotal role in the region’s economy and has the capacity to shape global trends far beyond its borders. That is why the US attaches such value to our partnership and why I believe our economic relationship can and should do even more.”
Seeing eye to eye
However, Bozell stressed that the two countries may not always see eye to eye.
“That is the nature of relations between independent nations. At times, our positions will diverge on global or bilateral questions. Yet in my conversations with South African leaders across the country, it is clear that even where differences exist, we can still identify areas to work together, build trust and expand opportunities for the US and South Africa.
“I am optimistic that by aligning our interests around growth and opportunity, and by strengthening a predictable investment environment, both of our nations will benefit. Let us work together to transform the art of the possible into lasting economic opportunity for both of our nations,” Bozell said.
Reciprocity in trade and investment
In September 2025, Ramaphosa said South Africa will continue to advocate for the principle of reciprocity in investment and trade relations with the US, adding that business ties with the United States are “strong and expanding.”
Ramaphosa made the remarks amid a South African delegation’s trip to the US, dispatched by the president to negotiate a deal with the Trump administration.
Writing in his weekly newsletter, Ramaphosa said the “optimistic, future-focused tone of this important engagement” underscored how, beyond the headlines and debates around trade policy and political frictions, US and South African businesses are forging ahead.
ALSO READ: SA must engage Trump with business deals, not politics
