President Trump, Vice President Vance, and other administration officials met with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in the Oval Office Wednesday, and there was a guest you might not have imagined who was there: South African golf legend—and winner of four majors—Ernie Els.

The meeting between Trump and the South African leader grew tense at times, as our Ward Clark reported. The U.S. president surprised the assembled dignitaries and reporters with video and documentation showing violence against white people in Ramaphosa’s country. Some are even calling what's happening over there “genocide.”

Els was dignified and polite, but there was sincere concern behind his eloquent remarks:

We're proud South Africans. I still have my South African passport. You know, we travel with this passport, you know, and I've got my visa here. So you know, but we want to see things get better in our country, and that's the bottom line. 

It’s been 35 years [actually, 31]  since the transition. President Ramaphosa was right in the middle of the transition time in 1990, and before that.

So it's been 35 years of ANC government. And I know there's a lot of anger, you know, through the transition. There's always a lot of stuff happening in the apartheid days. You know, we grew up in the apartheid era.

But I don't think two wrongs makes a right.

South African golfer Ernie Els (@TheBig_Easy) in the Oval Office: "We want to see things get better in our home country. That's the bottom line." pic.twitter.com/pq2ysYMhrB

— CSPAN (@cspan) May 21, 2025

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Els continued:

You know, President [Nelson] Mandela, when he came out of prison for all that time, didn't come out with hatred, you know, and really unified our nation through sport… 

So what I'm trying to say is, you know, this has been a long time coming. That's why we really wanted to meet you and the administration, and see our way forward, because we still want to see our country flourish. We've got some great things going on. Business is getting involved with government, farming, farmers are getting involved in local municipalities, trying to rebuild some of the infrastructure that's been decaying for a long time.

Trump has South African PGA golfers Retief Goosen and Ernie Els speaking out against racism in their home country in the Oval Office. https://t.co/b6dh11j8Qb

— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) May 21, 2025

He believes partnership with the United States is the only way to stop the cycle of hate and violence:

ELS: So there's a lot of coexistence going on in health, a lot of areas. But we need we need the U.S. to push this thing through. We've got a great ally. If we can have the US. It's always been an ally of South Africa for a very long time… You guys helped her.

So very important for us to have your support and you know, get the change we need.

TRUMP: Boy, did you do that well. [Laughter.]

Els didn’t bring the fire; he’s more of an understated, calm speaker. But his words here were well-said: “I don't think two wrongs makes a right.”

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