By A Correspondent
In a tense and unexpected exchange at the White House, U.S. President Donald Trump confronted South African President Cyril Ramaphosa with controversial accusations that white farmers in South Africa are being systematically targeted, attacked, and killed.
The meeting, initially intended to strengthen bilateral ties and discuss trade, was quickly derailed when Trump launched into a pointed interrogation regarding alleged violence against white South African farmers—a claim that has been widely debunked by human rights organizations and South African law enforcement.
During a live press conference, Trump cued a video montage depicting a field of white crosses, which he claimed represented the graves of murdered white farmers
. The footage included a snippet of opposition leader Julius Malema chanting “Shoot the Boer,” a phrase that has stirred significant controversy in South Africa.
“This is what’s happening in your country,” Trump said, gesturing toward the screen. “They take their land, they kill the white farmers, and nobody is held accountable. What are you doing about this?”
Visibly taken aback, Ramaphosa pushed back forcefully. “That’s simply not true,” he replied. “If we were experiencing genocide, the white South Africans in my delegation—people like Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, and Johann Rupert—wouldn’t be here today.”
Trump appeared unconvinced, interjecting, “But these people, they get their land taken, and then they’re killed. The world needs to hear this.”
Ramaphosa reiterated that South Africa’s government does not support violence or racially targeted attacks. “We are a constitutional democracy,” he stated. “What you saw in that video—those comments are from an opposition leader, not government policy.
We don’t govern through hate.”
The video shown by Trump, according to analysts, was sourced from a 2020 protest in KwaZulu-Natal following the murder of a farming couple. The crosses were a symbolic installation, not actual grave markers. Trump admitted he didn’t know the specific origins of the video, but insisted it demonstrated a “pattern.”
The meeting followed the controversial U.S. decision to grant asylum to 59 white South Africans, citing fears of racial persecution. Ramaphosa previously dismissed the asylum-seekers as “cowards” fleeing a non-existent threat.
EFF leader Julius Malema, whose rhetoric featured prominently in Trump’s presentation, reacted mockingly on social media: “A group of old men met in Washington to gossip about me,” he posted. He further clarified that land expropriation without compensation remains a policy objective, but that it does not translate to physical harm against any racial group.
Despite Ramaphosa’s effort to charm the former U.S. president with golf-themed diplomacy—including a massive book showcasing South African golf courses and the presence of two national sports icons—the tone of the meeting shifted sharply after the video was played and Trump distributed printed articles of alleged attacks on white farmers.
“We’re not here to sweep things under the rug,” Trump concluded. “This issue matters, and I want answers.”
Ramaphosa maintained his position: “We welcome scrutiny, but it must be grounded in truth, not myth. South Africa belongs to all who live in it—black and white.”
The contentious exchange has raised questions about the influence of fringe narratives on U.S. foreign policy and whether refugee designations are being politicized. For now, it remains unclear whether the diplomatic fallout will impact trade negotiations, especially with looming tariffs on South African exports set to take effect later this year.