A tense exchange unfolded at the White House on Wednesday as former President Donald Trump confronted South African President Cyril Ramaphosa with unfounded claims of “genocide” against white South African farmers, casting a shadow over what was intended to be a high-level dialogue on trade and investment.
In a rare Oval Office scene, Trump dimmed the lights to play a series of anonymous video clips on a TV monitor, claiming they depicted violent attacks against white Afrikaner farmers.
Ramaphosa, visibly surprised, challenged the assertions, calling the clips misleading and insisting they did not represent government policy.
“This is not government policy,” Ramaphosa said. “People who are killed through criminal activity are not only white people. The majority are Black South Africans.”
Ramaphosa, who was joined by key members of his cabinet, including his agriculture minister, emphasized that South Africa is grappling with crime and economic hardship, not targeted racial violence.
“There is just no genocide in South Africa,” he said during a follow-up press conference. “What we are experiencing is general criminality, exacerbated by poverty and unemployment.”
Despite Ramaphosa’s repeated attempts to steer the meeting toward economic cooperation, Trump returned to what he described as “racist laws” in South Africa and held up printouts of alleged news articles to support his claims.
“This is sort of the opposite of apartheid,” Trump said. “Nobody talks about it.”
South African presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya later described the videos Trump showed as “a poor compilation of old footage” and “a complete lie,” reaffirming that the South African government rejects the notion of genocide.
The White House meeting gained further intrigue due to the presence of Elon Musk, a South African-born tech billionaire and adviser during Trump’s second term. Though Musk did not speak, Trump referred to him several times, saying, “This is what Elon wanted,” while laughing.
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Adding to the controversy, Trump recently signed an executive order titled “Addressing Egregious Actions of the Republic of South Africa,” which fast-tracked asylum for dozens of Afrikaner farmers.
The order accused South Africa of enacting legislation to seize farmland without compensation—a claim experts and South African officials say misrepresents the legal framework, which mirrors eminent domain laws seen in many countries.
Ramaphosa strongly disputed the refugee status of these arrivals. “These individuals do not fit the definition of refugees,” he said. “They are not being persecuted based on race, religion, nationality, or political opinion.”
Critics say Trump’s stance reflects selective immigration priorities. While welcoming Afrikaner applicants, his administration has sharply restricted immigration from crisis-hit nations like Afghanistan, Venezuela, and Haiti.
The exchange has sparked debate in Washington, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio defending the administration’s decisions before a Senate panel.
Rubio claimed that the Afrikaner applicants “felt persecuted” and “met the necessary criteria,” despite pushback from Democratic Senator Tim Kaine, who called the genocide narrative “completely specious.”
As the fallout continues, Ramaphosa reiterated his government’s focus: “We require more investment from the United States and a more positive disposition,” he said. “We came here to discuss economic growth, not conspiracy theories.”