South African President Cyril Ramaphosa pushed back against U.S. President Donald Trump's imposition of a 30% tariff, saying that it was based on an inaccurate understanding of the two countries' trade and that negotiations with the U.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has criticized President Donald Trump's reciprocal tariff rate for his country and disputed the calculation that underpins it, saying it was not an accurate interpretation of the facts.

As South Africa is buffeted by criticism from President Donald Trump and other American conservatives—some of it unfair and pushed by bad-faith actors—centrist business and political leaders dream of riding that storm to hasten reforms.