President Donald Trump has signed an executive order formalizing his announcement earlier this week that he’ll freeze assistance to South Africa for a law aiming to address some of the wrongs of South Africa’s racist apartheid era.

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order Friday targeting South Africa over what his administration and allies allege are human rights violations stemming from a land expropriation law, escalating his dispute with the country.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Thursday that his country "will not be bullied," days after U.S. President Donald Trump said he would cut off funding to South Africa over a land reform act.

Clear battle lines between South Africa’s Government of National Unity and US President Donald Trump’s new administration have emerged after a week of rising tensions.

U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at South Africa, a White House official said on Friday, saying the order will address human rights issues in the African nation. Trump has threatened to cut off funding to the African country.

Trump and his allies have targeted South Africa, promoting the false narrative that white people are being mistreated by the nation’s post-apartheid government.

South Africa “will not be bullied” by President Donald Trump, the leader of the nation declared in a national speech. President Cyril Ramaphosa acknowledged the United States government’s newfound hostility to South Africa’s domestic policies on Thursday during his State of the Union address — stating that his government and people will not buckle under