In a tense Oval Office encounter, US President Donald Trump confronted South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, presenting disputed videos and articles to support his debunked claims of a “white genocide” targeting South African farmers.
The meeting turned contentious as Ramaphosa firmly rejected the accusations, emphasizing South Africa’s commitment to land reform and social justice.
In a rare scene in the Oval Office, Trump had the lights dimmed to play videos on a TV monitor he said supported his allegations. Ramaphosa appeared surprised at the ambush and at times said he hadn’t seen what was being aired. The sourcing of the videos played remain unknown.
Trump also held up what he said were news articles about violent attacks against white Afrikaner farmers.
“I don’t know, all of these are articles over the last few days, death of people, death, death, death, horrible death,” Trump said.
Trump claimed White South Africans were “fleeing because of the violence and the racist laws.”
“This is sort of the opposite of apartheid. What’s happening now is never reported. Nobody knows about it,” he added.
Ramaphosa pushed back, saying the clips of speeches Trump played “is not government policy.” He and other members of the South African delegation said the speakers and their views were part of extremist fringe political groups.
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“There is criminality in our country. People who do get killed, unfortunately, through criminal activity are not only white people, majority of them are Black people,” Ramaphosa said.
The South African leader said it would take Trump “listening to the voices of South Africans” to change his view. The South African government has vehemently disputed accusations of genocide.
“I would say if there was Afrikaner farmer genocide, I can bet you these three gentlemen would not be here, including my minister of agriculture,” Ramaphosa said. “He would not be with me. So, it’ll take him, President Trump, listening to their stories, to their perspective.”
At times, Ramaphosa sought to steer the conversation back to trade and economic investment, which he said was the “real reason for being here.” But Trump continually talked about the treatment of White South Africans.
But when pressed on what he wants Ramaphosa and his government to do, Trump conceded, “I don’t know.”
Elon Musk, a South African native and a top adviser to the president during his second term who has also amplified false claims of “white genocide,” was present for Ramaphosa’s visit to the White House.
Musk was seen standing behind a couch and did not speak during the exchange between Ramaphosa and Trump.
“Elon is from South Africa. I don’t want to get him involved,” Trump said. “That’s all I have to do. Get him into another thing. But Elon happens to be from South Africa.”
“This is what Elon wanted,” Trump said, chuckling.
Dozens of Afrikaner refugees arrived in the U.S. last week after having their applications fast-tracked under an executive order issued by Trump in February titled, “Addressing Egregious Actions of the Republic of South Africa.”
The order contends the South African government passed a law allowing it to “seize ethnic minority Afrikaners’ agricultural property without compensation” in a “shocking disregard of its’ citizen rights.” It instructs that the U.S. will not provide aid or assistance to the nation, and that the U.S. “promote the resettlement of Afrikaner refugees.”
The law passed by South Africa cited by the administration aims to address land injustices established during apartheid. It states land can be expropriated in the public interest and in most cases must be subject to compensation, the amount of which must have been agreed to by the owners or approved by court. Experts say the law is comparable to similar legislation around the world regarding eminent domain.
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Ramaphosa previously said that the White South Africans who are being resettled in the U.S. “do not fit the definition of a refugee” — someone who is leaving their country out of fear of being persecuted based on race, religion, nationality or political affiliation.
Trump has been scrutinized for prioritizing Afrikaners while moving to restrict immigration from elsewhere, including from Afghanistan, Venezuela and Haiti.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio was asked to defend the administration’s position while testifying before a Senate panel on Tuesday.
“I think those 49 people that came strongly felt they were persecuted, and they passed every sort of check mark that needed to be checked off,” Rubio said. “The president identified it as a problem and wanted to use it as an example.”
Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia said he believed the claim there is persecution of Afrikaner farmers was “completely specious” and noted the U.S. hadn’t let in Black South Africans during apartheid.
“I think that the United States has a right to allow into this country and prioritize the allowance of who they want to allow it come in,” Rubio responded.
