The Cosmopolitics Edit

Trump's South Africa Obsession, Harvard's international crisis and Apple tariff tantrums. Plus some lighter weekend fare

Welcome to the Cosmopolitics Edit. Every week I will give you my takes on the week’s biggest stories, along with a curation of stories off the beaten track that I found interesting and suggestions on some lighter weekend fare to enjoy. Please let me know what you think in the comments below or send me a DM. Suggestions on topics, issues and format welcome!

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Trump's South Africa Obsession

Like many of you, I was struck by President Trump's ambush this week of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in the Oval Office. Like his meeting in February with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, this wasn't diplomacy, but political theater This time it was designed to serve Trump's domestic racial politics while advancing the personal grievances of his billionaire adviser, Elon Musk.

Trump played footage of opposition politician Julius Malema leading "Kill the Boer" chants—rhetoric that South Africa's ruling party had distanced itself from over a decade ago. He held up newspaper articles, repeatedly muttering "Death, death, death," and claimed videos showed "burial sites of more than 1,000 white farmers" that even Ramaphosa couldn't recognize as being from his own country. It turns out the footage was from a 2020 demonstration bringing attention to the issue of violence against farmers of all races in South Africa. The crosses have since been removed.

When confronted with facts, Trump simply dismissed them, cutting off Ramaphosa's attempts to explain that crime in South Africa affects all racial groups, with Black South Africans bearing the brunt of violence. The statistics Trump ignored are stark: in 2024, only 12 murders occurred on farms nationwide, with just one victim being a farmer. During the same period, 6,953 people were murdered across South Africa—a country where the vast majority of crime victims are Black and poor.

But facts were never the point. As Trump explicitly acknowledged during the meeting, pointing to Musk in the room: "Elon happens to be from South Africa. This is what Elon wanted." Musk, who was born in Pretoria, has spent years amplifying "white genocide" claims on social media while pursuing his own business interests in the country. His Starlink telecommunications venture faces requirements for 30% Black ownership under South Africa's Black Economic Empowerment policies—which Musk has branded "racist."

The Afrikaner refugee program that emerged from this dynamic reveals the administration's true priorities with uncomfortable clarity. While Trump has simultaneously halted refugee admissions from most other countries, 59 white South Africans received expedited refugee status in just three months, arriving to fanfare and being greeted by senior administration officials at Dulles Airport. Regular asylum seekers from war-torn regions—including Afghans who worked with the United States—often wait years for processing; these Afrikaners were fast-tracked through a system that typically requires evidence of persecution that simply doesn't exist in their case.

The irony runs deeper when you consider that most Afrikaners themselves reject this narrative. At a major agricultural fair in Bothaville shortly before the Trump-Ramaphosa meeting, white farmers denied claims of genocide and land seizures. Prominent Afrikaner organizations have also declared they have no intention of leaving South Africa.

So what's really driving this obsession with South Africa? Multiple factors converge around Trump's domestic political needs and international positioning. The "white genocide" narrative appeals directly to his base, providing a convenient way to portray white people as victims rather than acknowledging historical patterns of oppression. It's a storyline that plays well in rallies and on social media, where complexity is unwelcome and victimhood narratives resonate powerfully.

Geopolitically, South Africa's membership in BRICS and its relationships with Iran, Russia, and China provide additional justification for hostility. The country's genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice has particularly infuriated the Trump administration.

Rather than escalating or walking out, Ramaphosa remained calm and dignified, firmly but diplomatically correcting Trump's false claims. He invoked Nelson Mandela's legacy of reconciliation and brought prominent South Africans whom Trump respected, including golfers and billionaire Johann Rupert. When tensions peaked, he used humor to defuse the moment—joking about not having a plane to give Trump when asked about a controversial Qatari aircraft deal.

Harvard's international crisis

Trump's certification revocation forces Harvard's 6,800 international students to transfer universities or risk deportation—upending years of study and investment. Belgium's Princess Elisabeth faces uncertainty about returning for her second year, while Chinese officials question Harvard's future international standing. The university calls it an "existential threat," warning that "without its international students, Harvard is not Harvard."

Globally, the reaction has been swift and damning. China's Foreign Ministry condemned the move as damaging America's "image and international credibility." Educational advisors report incredulous responses worldwide. Hong Kong University immediately offered refuge to displaced Harvard students. The message is clear: America is becoming less welcoming, prompting students to consider alternatives in countries eager to capture America's lost talent.

Harvard has filed an emergency lawsuit seeking to block the action, describing it as "unprecedented and retaliatory" punishment for opposing administration policies. A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order Friday, but the damage to America's educational brand may prove lasting. As one expert warned, while Harvard's elite students will find alternatives, the broader message signals that "policy uncertainty has become the norm"—potentially deterring future generations of global talent from choosing American universities. I will have more on this next week for The Preamble

A $3,500 Iphone?

President Trump's Friday morning tariff tantrum—threatening 50% taxes on European goods and 25% levies on iPhones—was impulsive, contradictory, and seemingly designed to grab headlines rather than achieve coherent policy goals. In one breathless social media spree, he managed to alienate America's closest allies while targeting one of its most valuable companies, all because negotiations weren't moving fast enough for his liking. It’s not economic economic policy; it's the weaponization of economic uncertainty for political theater, with real consequences for global stability and American credibility.

The spectacle was particularly rich given that Trump is now threatening higher tariffs on the European Union—a democratic ally and massive trading partner—than on China, the supposed strategic rival whose tariffs he recently cut to facilitate negotiations. It's a stunning inversion of stated policy priorities that reveals how Trump's trade wars have devolved into pure performance art, divorced from any coherent economic or geopolitical strategy.

The arbitrary nature of these threats exposes the fundamental problem with Trump's approach: there's no logic companies or countries can follow to stay in his good graces. Apple has already committed half a trillion dollars to U.S. investments, yet finds itself in Trump's crosshairs because of manufacturing decisions that predate his presidency. European leaders have offered to eliminate tariffs on industrial goods and increase energy purchases, only to be told they're "impossible" to negotiate with.

The market's muted reaction—stocks down less than 1%—suggests investors have learned to treat Trump's tariff threats as negotiating theater rather than serious policy. But this normalization of chaos comes with real costs. As one Fed official noted, businesses are now in a "put your pencils down" moment, unable to plan investments when trade policy can change overnight based on a presidential mood swing.

The deeper irony is that Trump's approach undermines his own stated goals. By making the U.S. look like an "unreliable trading partner" that "operates on whim, not on rule of law," he's pushing allies toward China and making America less attractive for the very investments he claims to want. Meanwhile, his threats to make Apple "eat" tariff costs ignore the basic reality that such costs ultimately flow to consumers—the same voters he promised would benefit from his trade wars.

Iran talks: headed toward a deal, or deadlock?

The fifth round of US-Iran nuclear talks in Rome concluded Friday with the familiar diplomatic dance of "constructive progress" masking fundamental deadlock. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Iranian state television that the talks had been “one of the most professional rounds of negotiations” so far, noting that, while an agreement had not been reached, the Iranian side was “not discouraged”.

Ahead of the talks, Araghchi laid out the stark reality: "Zero nuclear weapons = we DO have a deal. Zero enrichment = we do NOT have a deal." Yet the Trump administration has hardened its position to demand exactly that—complete cessation of uranium enrichment—effectively ensuring these negotiations are more theater than genuine diplomacy.

Meanwhile, reports suggest Israel is preparing to strike Iranian nuclear facilities anyway, making the entire diplomatic exercise feel like a countdown to military action rather than a genuine peace process.

Trump's Putin gambit

President Trump's two-hour phone call with Vladimir Putin this week was vintage Trump—big promises, economic carrots, and the unwavering belief that his personal charm can solve what diplomats have failed to fix for three years. "Russia and Ukraine will immediately start negotiations," he declared with characteristic confidence. But beneath the sunny proclamations lies a sobering reality: this war is far more intractable than Trump's campaign trail promises suggested.

The call itself revealed the fundamental disconnect plaguing peace efforts. Trump emerged talking trade deals and Vatican-hosted negotiations, painting a picture of imminent breakthrough. Putin, meanwhile, stuck to his script about "removing the root causes of this crisis"—diplomatic speak for his maximalist demands that Ukraine essentially surrender territory and sovereignty. It's the same impasse, dressed up in new rhetoric.

Vice President Vance's comments about being "more than open to walking away" raise the critical question on everyone's minds: walk away to leave the parties to keep killing each other, or walk away from negotiations to increase sanctions on Russia and support Ukraine? The answer will define American credibility for years to come.

The Europeans and Ukrainians had entered the call with a clear ask: get Putin to agree to an unconditional 30-day ceasefire. He didn't agree to anything of the sort. When Trump briefed his allies afterward, European leaders and Ukrainian officials were reportedly aghast at the lack of concrete concessions Putin had made, despite Trump's rosy characterization of the conversation.

The question now is whether Trump, despite his well-documented fondness for Putin, is beginning to realize he's being strung along. Putin has mastered the art of offering just enough diplomatic theater to avoid blame while giving up nothing substantive. For a president who prides himself on dealmaking, getting played by Putin would be a particularly bitter pill to swallow.

Gaza aid: too little too late

The first trickle of humanitarian aid in over 11 weeks finally reached Gaza on Wednesday, but the 90-plus trucks carrying flour and baby supplements were a cruel reminder of how dire the situation has become. After Israel imposed a complete aid blockade since March 2—ostensibly to prevent Hamas from profiting from supplies—desperate Gazans are now so hungry that some are stealing trucks meant for distribution. The scene of bakeries reopening in Deir Al-Balah offers a momentary glimmer of hope, but UN officials are blunt about the reality: this aid is "nowhere near enough" to prevent the looming famine that threatens much of the enclave.

The logistics of delivering aid have become almost as complicated as the politics surrounding it. Israeli authorities are forcing aid convoys through congested, insecure routes where looting is inevitable, while blocking critical items like fuel and hygiene products entirely. Meanwhile, the U.S. ambassador's proposal to hand distribution over to a private Gaza Humanitarian Foundation—rather than established UN agencies—has aid workers rolling their eyes at yet another layer of bureaucratic obstruction. As 80% of Gaza faces displacement orders and civilians are squeezed into ever-smaller areas, the humanitarian crisis isn't just about getting food in—it's about whether there will be anywhere left to deliver it.

In other news

They Used Xenon to Climb Everest at Warp Speed It took 4 Brits less than 5 days, not weeks (Newser)

Japanese Farm Minister Resigns After Saying He’d Never Bought Rice The remark came in the midst of a rice shortage that has infuriated voters. “Frankly, my supporters give me quite a lot of rice,” said the minister, Taku Eto. (New York Times)

Wildfires devastated the Amazon basin in 2024 They wiped away all progress governments had made to curb deforestation in recent years (Economist)

Italy tightens rules for Italian descendants to become citizens (BBC) Sorry guys, under the amended law applicants for an Italian passport must now have one parent or grandparent who was a citizen by birth.

Weekend fare

📖 READ: Zbig: The Life of Zbigniew Brzezinski, America's Great Power Prophet, Edward Luce's biography of Zbigniew Brzezinski arrives at a moment when American foreign policy feels rudderless, making the contrast between past and present all the more stark. Unlike his rival Henry Kissinger, who saw the world through European balance-of-power politics, Brzezinski—a Polish émigré who carried both deep wounds from Soviet oppression and unshakeable faith in American ideals—understood that the Cold War was fundamentally an ideological contest America could win. The book's implicit question: where are the Kissingers and Brzezinskis of our era? In an age when foreign policy expertise has been reduced to cable news soundbites and Twitter hot takes, Luce reminds us what we've lost—grand strategists who could see beyond the immediate crisis to the larger historical currents shaping our world.

📺 WATCH: Hashoter Hatov (The Good Copy/Netflix) If you liked Brooklyn Nine-Nine, you will love this Israeli police television sitcom about an overzealous cop, his dysfunctional family, and incompetent colleagues. Netflix has only acquired one season so far, but the 15 episodes are hysterical. The show is in Hebrew with English subtitles, but you don't even need them—the body language says it all. And the delightful opening sequence will get you every time.

🎧 LISTEN: The Spy Who (Wondery) The Spy Who explores the secret lives of covert operatives and recounts true tales of derring-do and jaw-dropping escapades that sound too wild to be real—but are. Each season goes deep into the real-life story of a special agent, unearthing daring missions, double crosses, and dangerous liaisons from the agent who deliberately got himself imprisoned in Auschwitz to Russian sleeper cells embedded in American suburbia. These are stories you were never meant to hear about the invisible but vital work of the world's intelligence services, where secret operatives play by very different rules.