U.S. President Donald Trump had a tense meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in the Oval Office on Wednesday. The meeting took a sour turn when Trump accused South Africa of not addressing the alleged killings of white farmers, a claim he referred to as "white genocide."
During the meeting, which included tech entrepreneur Elon Musk, Trump raised concerns about racial persecution against white Afrikaners. This discussion came shortly after a group of South Africans was granted expedited citizenship in the U.S. due to claims of persecution.
In a dramatic moment, Trump dimmed the lights and played a video he said illustrated his claims. The footage featured a politician singing an anti-apartheid song with lyrics about killing farmers. Trump stated, “People are fleeing South Africa for their own safety,” after showing the video.
Ramaphosa strongly opposed Trump’s accusations, insisting that the South African government does not support such violence. He expressed a desire to shift the conversation towards strengthening U.S.-South Africa relations and enhancing trade.
Experts in South Africa have disputed Trump’s claims, stating there is no evidence of targeted violence against white farmers, although crime rates are high and affect people of all races.
Trump insisted that he has "thousands of stories" documenting the alleged genocide. When pressed for evidence, he promised to show it, leading to the video presentation. Ramaphosa challenged Trump, asking for the specific location of the events depicted in the video, but Trump did not respond.
As the meeting concluded, Ramaphosa described the encounter as "very well" and expressed hope for improved relations. Despite the heated exchange, he remained optimistic about the discussions and the potential for future cooperation between the two nations.