During a recent meeting in the Oval Office, U.S. President Donald Trump presented an image to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, claiming it depicted a "white genocide" occurring in South Africa. However, a fact-check revealed that the image was actually taken from a Reuters video showing humanitarian workers in the Democratic Republic of Congo, not South Africa.
The photograph, shown to Ramaphosa on May 21, 2025, was confirmed by Reuters to be a screenshot from footage published earlier in February. This video captured the aftermath of violent clashes in the Congolese city of Goma, where humanitarian workers were seen carrying body bags following battles with M23 rebels. Djaffar Al Katanty, the Reuters journalist who filmed the footage, expressed shock that his work was used by Trump to support unfounded claims about violence against white farmers in South Africa.
Trump asserted that the image illustrated the persecution of white farmers, a narrative that has circulated among far-right groups for years. He also showcased a five-minute video during the meeting, claiming it provided further evidence of this alleged genocide. The video included a populist politician singing an anti-apartheid song with controversial lyrics about violence against farmers.
Ramaphosa countered Trump’s claims, emphasizing the importance of listening to the experiences of South Africans. He was in Washington to strengthen the relationship between the U.S. and South Africa and to discuss trade. Tensions had recently risen between the two nations after Trump granted citizenship to a group of white South African Afrikaners who claimed persecution in their home country.
The image and video presented by Trump have not been substantiated by any credible sources. Critics have pointed out that the footage shown was misrepresented, and even the author of a related blog post admitted that Trump had misidentified the image. The White House has not commented on the situation.
This incident highlights the ongoing debate over race relations and violence in South Africa, as well as the challenges of misinformation in political discourse.