From Zelenskyy to Ramaphosa: How Trump has turned Oval office into an ambush office

When South African President Cyril Ramaphosa arrived at the White House this week, he knew it wouldn’t be a warm visit. The US president had already accused his government of enabling a “white genocide.” But nothing could have fully prepared Ramaphosa-or the global audience watching-for what happened next.The lights in the Oval Office dimmed. A television monitor, wheeled in just for the occasion, flickered to life. The screen played a four-minute video showing grainy protest footage, firebrand chants, and white crosses meant to symbolize slain white farmers. The message was clear, if fantastical: South Africa, according to President Trump, was persecuting its white minority-and he had brought his guest here to confront it.“You do allow them to take land, and then when they take the land, they kill the white farmer,” Trump said. “And when they kill the white farmer, nothing happens to them.”It was not a conversation. It was a show.Reality TV diplomacyIn Donald Trump’s second term, the Oval Office has become less a room for diplomacy and more a studio set. The confrontation with Ramaphosa followed a similar “ambush” earlier this year, when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy walked into what was expected to be a routine alliance-strengthening meeting-and left after a shouting match with Trump and Vice President JD Vance. Now, the template appears set: lights, spectacle, confrontation, and humiliation-preferably televised.“This is literally being watched globally right now,” Trump adviser Jason Miller posted on X, complete with a screenshot of the encounter. “Ratings GOLD.”If the message to the world’s democracies is “play ball or face the glare,” the signal is coming through loud and clear. Cameron Hudson, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, called the Ramaphosa meeting “a circus,” though one that “didn’t go off the cliff.”Former US Ambassador to South Africa Patrick Gaspard was less diplomatic: “Trump turned the meeting with Ramaphosa into a shameful spectacle,” he wrote. “Engaging on Trump’s terms never goes well for anyone.”Why it mattersTrump’s tactics are redefining what a presidential meeting means – turning diplomatic engagements into political theater with real global consequences.1. Diplomacy becomes deterrent: What used to be a coveted invitation for world leaders – the Oval Office – now resembles a stage-managed gauntlet. Trump’s aggressive posture, public confrontations, and nationalist messaging may make foreign leaders wary of future visits, especially those from smaller or non-aligned countries.2. Undermines alliances: Trump’s treatment of allies like Ramaphosa and Zelenskyy undermines US credibility at a time when competition from China and Russia for global influence is intensifying. As one Western diplomat told Reuters, “This kind of public ambush is something you’d expect from a talk show host, not a US president.”3. Weaponizing the presidency: Trump has effectively turned the Oval Office – historically a symbol of mutual respect and diplomacy – into a live set for reinforcing narratives that energize his political base. Wednesday’s display wasn’t about South Africa’s actual crime data or trade. It was about reaffirming Trump’s alignment with white nationalist talking points that resonate with key segments of his support.4. Risks isolating the US: Trump’s readiness to embarrass foreign leaders on live television – especially those from nations the US has strategic interests in – could backfire diplomatically. South Africa, China’s top trading partner on the continent, is being courted by both global powers. Trump’s behavior risks pushing Pretoria further into Beijing’s sphere.Staging a conspiracy theoryThe centerpiece of Trump’s presentation was an old, debunked conspiracy theory: that white South African farmers are being hunted and murdered en masse by a Black-majority government. This narrative, popular in far-right internet circles and championed by Trump ally Elon Musk-who was present during the meeting-has long been dismissed by experts.South Africa recorded over 26,000 murders last year, and 44 were linked to farming communities. Just eight of those victims were farmers. The majority of victims, as Ramaphosa calmly explained, are Black. Yet Trump flipped through printed headlines, muttering “death, death, death,” and waved the clippings in front of his guest. One of the images, journalists later confirmed, was actually from the Democratic Republic of Congo.Still, Trump doubled down: “People are fleeing South Africa for their own safety. Their land is being confiscated, and in many cases, they’re being killed.”Ramaphosa tried to interject: “These are concerns we are willing to talk to you about.”But Trump wasn’t interested in dialogue. “The farmers are not Black,” he snapped back.

Grace under fireDespite the bait, Ramaphosa remained composed. “If there was Afrikaner farmer genocide, I can bet you these three gentlemen would not be here,” he said, motioning to pro golfers Ernie Els and Retief Goosen, and billionaire Johann Rupert-three white South Africans who had joined his delegation.Observers described the South African president’s performance as tactful, even statesmanlike. “You could see he was being provoked,” said his spokesman, Vincent Magwenya. “He did not fall for the trap.”After the encounter, Ramaphosa tried to reframe the visit. “You wanted to see drama and something big happening,” he told South African reporters. “I’m sorry that we disappointed you somewhat.”Yet for many South Africans, the damage was done. “I don’t understand why Ramaphosa is even in the US,” said a university student in Johannesburg. “Trump has made it very clear how he feels about us.”A presidency of performanceThis was no diplomatic misstep. It was a deliberate performance. “If anybody doubts that the Zelenskyy incident was not completely stage-managed by the White House,” British analyst Tim Marshall said, “the scales should fall from their eyes.”Trump’s new Oval Office doctrine is simple: humiliate to dominate. He’s applied the same strategy to allies and rivals alike. He mocked Canadian PM Mark Carney and suggested Canada should become the 51st US state. He goaded French President Emmanuel Macron on climate and taunted Zelensky over NATO aid. Even Benjamin Netanyahu, one of Trump’s closest allies, was stunned when Trump announced backchannel talks with Iran without warning.The formula is consistent: unpredictability, aggression, and spectacle over substance.Ramaphosa’s balancing actThe South African president had come to Washington with pragmatic goals. He hoped to lower the temperature on bilateral tensions, reboot stalled trade talks, and repair damage caused by Trump’s earlier decisions to cancel aid, impose tariffs, and recognize Afrikaners as refugees while restricting asylum seekers from other regions.Following the meeting, Ramaphosa tried to salvage the narrative, telling reporters that discussions on liquefied natural gas and critical minerals were “very encouraging.” He even claimed he’d persuaded Trump to consider attending the G20 summit in Johannesburg this November. “I believe we’ve started to change his mind,” he said.But the images of the meeting-of Ramaphosa, politely silent under the harsh glow of Trump’s Oval Office spotlight-will likely overshadow any diplomatic gains.An office transformedThe Oval Office was once a place where history was shaped, where presidents forged treaties and built global alliances. Today, it feels more like a game show set. Gold-plated decor. Televised confrontations. Foreign leaders put on the defensive by a man who treats geopolitics as theater.“We were taught by Nelson Mandela,” Ramaphosa said softly during the meeting, “that whenever there are problems, people need to sit down around the table and talk about them.”In today’s White House, the table has become a stage. The cameras are always rolling. And there’s always a trap.(With inputs from agencies)