South African President Cyril Ramaphosa had hoped that his first meeting with Donald Trump would be a chance to reset relations after months of attacks on his government by MAGA allies.
The US President and Pretoria-born 'first buddy' Elon Musk have repeatedly accused Ramaphosa of being complicit in 'white genocide' in his country - an unfounded claim the South African delegation sought to debunk during the visit.
Trump had previously cancelled aid to the country, expelled its ambassador and offered refuge to white minority Afrikaners, but officials had been hopeful that an invitation to Washington could mark a turning point.
However what began as an unassuming greeting 'with the usual pleasantries' soon turned into a public takedown - with analysts drawing comparisons to Trump's explosive meeting with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky.
As the meeting got underway, Ramaphosa's 'rictus smile' indicated that he expected some 'good-humoured diplomacy' and was unaware of the ambush that Trump had prepared, a body language expert has claimed.
