SA Ambassador Roelf Meyer Admits Revoking Trump's Afrikaner Refugee Order Will Be Tough

• South African Ambassador to the US Roelf Meyer spoke on Radio 702 about diplomatic efforts to cancel Executive Order 14204
• South African Ambassador to the US Roelf Meyer spoke on Radio 702 about diplomatic efforts to cancel Executive Order 14204
• Meyer acknowledged the challenge of navigating the Trump administration's stance on the Afrikaner resettlement programme

SOUTH AFRICA — South Africa's ambassador to the United States, Roelf Meyer, has publicly conceded that efforts to have President Donald Trump's executive order on Afrikaner refugees revoked face significant obstacles, citing the unpredictability of the current White House administration.

According to News Day, Meyer confirmed he is actively working to negotiate the cancellation of Executive Order 14204, which Trump signed in February 2025. The directive established a dedicated resettlement pathway for white Afrikaners, citing alleged land confiscation and violence against the community.

US refugee allocation expanded to 17,500

The South African government has consistently rejected the order's premise, describing it as inaccurate propaganda and pointing out that Afrikaners remain among the country's most economically privileged groups. Despite this, the programme has gained considerable momentum: more than 6,500 South Africans departed for the United States within the first year of the order taking effect.

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To address a growing backlog of applications, the US administration issued an emergency declaration raising the South African refugee intake ceiling to 17,500 slots. White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly reaffirmed the administration's commitment to the initiative, stating that the processing of applications would continue without interruption.

Meyer described the original executive order as entirely unexpected, adding that negotiating with the Trump administration on the matter remains a deeply complex undertaking.

South Africans react online

The ambassador's remarks drew sharp responses on social media.

@YourDevillette argued that South Africa has no authority over the matter, writing:

"It's not a South African program, it's a US program. An executive order by Pres. Trump.. Squirrel can do nothing about it."

@RadianceBlueZA questioned the government's sincerity, saying:

"Squirrel said they will not interfere. But then again, when has he ever been truthful? They did everything to go against the US. This is no different."

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@RealBillMeyer offered a broader political reading:

"The ANC is desperate for 1994 rules when they were immune from criticism. This new political landscape where they are held accountable does not work for them."

@Mal_fkn_Boer highlighted continued rejections on the Afrikaner side, writing:

"Well, yesterday more denial letters were sent out to Afrikaners. 💔😓"

@Michael86259668 was blunt in his assessment:

"He's going to fail."

Almost 1,000 refugee applications rejected

In a related article, Briefly News reported on the rejection of Afrikaner refugee applications by U.S. authorities under President Trump's resettlement programme, with estimates indicating between 500 and 1,000 applicants faced ineligibility. Many of these individuals had already made significant life changes in anticipation of resettlement, raising concerns about the impact of these rejections on their futures.

Source: Briefly News