WASHINGTON () South African President Cyril Ramaphosa will meet with President Donald Trump at the White House on Wednesday, in what could be a tense encounter following Trump’s repeated criticism of the country since returning to office.

Trump has alleged a “genocide” is being committed in South Africa against white farmers, a claim South Africa denies.

“It’s a terrible thing that’s taking place,” Trump said last week. “Farmers are being killed, they happen to be white, but whether they’re white or Black makes no difference to me. But white farmers are being brutally killed, and their land is being confiscated in South Africa.”

Billionaire Elon Musk, who was born and raised in South Africa and has been critical of its policies, is expected to attend some of the meetings with Ramaphosa, a source told .

The United States has granted refugee status to 59 white South Africans, marking the start of what the Trump administration said is a larger relocation plan for minority Afrikaner farmers who Trump claims are being persecuted.

Ramaphosa is expected to rebut these claims during his visit.

South Africa to talk trade deal with US

Trade will also likely be a central topic in Wednesday’s meeting.

South Africa remains the United States’ largest African trading partner, but it’s currently subject to Trump’s global 10% tariff pause.

Once lifted, South Africa could face a 31% tariff, an outcome Ramaphosa is hoping to avoid and has cited as a main reason for his trip.

“The trade relations are the most important, that’s what brought us here. We want to come out of the United States with a really good trade deal,” Ramaphosa told South African reporters in the U.S. after arriving Tuesday.