U.S. President Donald Trump has followed through on his promise to punish South Africa by signing an executive order stopping all aid and assistance to the country over what he called a human rights violation against a white minority group.

The president ordered that all foreign assistance to South Africa be halted and said his administration would prioritize the resettling of white, “Afrikaner refugees” into the United States.

When they were hit this week by a Donald Trump social media grenade, panicked South African officials turned to an unconventional diplomatic back channel.