South Africa has pushed back against suggestions that it is anti-American, reaffirming its commitment to building strong trade relations with the United States.

The response comes after U.S. President Donald Trump warned that any country aligning with what he described as the “anti-American policies” of the BRICS bloc would face an additional 10 percent tariff.

The warning has triggered concern in countries like South Africa and Egypt, both of which are BRICS members.

In reaction to Trump’s remarks, South Africa’s trade ministry spokesperson Kaamil Alli told Reuters that the country is still committed to strengthening its economic partnership with Washington.

“We still await formal communication from the US in respect [to] our trade deal but our conversations remain constructive and fruitful. As we have communicated previously, we are not anti-American,” Alli said.

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South Africa has been in discussions with the Trump administration since May, following a meeting between President Cyril Ramaphosa and President Trump at the White House to explore the possibility of a bilateral trade agreement.

Diplomatic ties between South Africa and the United States have cooled significantly since Trump returned to office in January.

Relations grew tense after the U.S. expelled South Africa’s ambassador and halted financial aid.

The Trump administration cited South Africa’s land reform policies and its decision to bring a genocide case against Israel, an American ally, at the International Court of Justice as reasons for the diplomatic fallout.

South Africa has defended its position, saying the land reform initiative is a constitutional process meant to correct historical injustices in land ownership dating back to the apartheid era. Officials also emphasized that no land expropriations have occurred.

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Image Credit: TRT Global