Trump accused South African president of alleging “white genocide”
Donald Trump falsely accused South African president Cyril Ramaphosa of overseeing “genocide” against white people during a White House meeting.
WASHINGTON – South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has brought in a 14-kilometer book from his country showing off two championship golfers and South Africa’s biggest golf course.
But even his best attempt to appeal to President Donald Trump’s golf fandom could not protect him from becoming the latest target for an oval office ambush.
At the May 21 meeting between Trump and Ramaphosa, it rivals only a memorable clash with Ukrainian President Voldy Mil Zelensky in February.
“I’m sorry, but there’s no plane to give you,” Ramaphosa munched after things got hot about 20 minutes after the meeting.
“I hope you did. I’ll take it,” Trump said. “If your country offers an airplane to the US Air Force, I’d take it.”
The background to hostility was the Trump administration’s recent decision to welcome white South Africans known as Africans as refugees to the United States when Trump halted resettlement of other refugees, commonly of color.
Trump has sympathy for white South Africans, a minority in South Africa. They say it is unfairly targeting new laws that allow South African governments to seize property in the “public interest.” Trump escalated the fight last week by claiming Africans are targets of “genocide” against white people. This is accusation rejected by the South African government and human rights experts, and is not supported by the evidence.
Violence has been a long-standing problem in South Africa. That includes violent attacks on white farmers. However, despite the high rates of murder in the country, the overwhelming majority of victims are black.
“Have they ever said where it is, or that it’s the president?”
Trump hit the opening to set up a pre-arranged video presentation when he asked what it would take to convince him that genocide was not happening in South Africa.
In the subsequent silence, Ramaphosa asked the question instead. “President Trump is listening to South Africans, some of which are good friends of him,” the South African leader said.
Trump then cited “thousands of stories talking about it,” and asked one of his White House aides to refuse the light. “I was able to show you a few things,” Trump said.
The video began to play on the screen that was moved to the oval office before the meeting. It featured footage of black South Africans asking their followers to occupy farmland, declaring “killing is part of the revolution,” and denounced the country’s “whites” and “whiteness.” (Members of Ramaphosa’s delegation later informed the room that Trump’s video featured two opposition leaders against the South African government that the current administration rejects.)
The video ended with footage of a white cross along the way Trump said it was a burial site for the murder of white South Africans who were killed for race. In reality, the cross was not an actual tomb, but a symbol used in protests by white farmers in South Africa.
“These are burial sites here. More than 1,000 white farmers,” Trump said the video had been played. “It’s a terrible sight. I’ve never seen anything like that.”
Ramaphosa, which negotiated with Nelson Mandela in the 90s, remained calm and calm throughout the meeting. He replied: “They’re in which it is, Mr. President? No? No? I’d like to know where this is, but I’ve never seen it.”
Elon Musk Watches Opfrontation expands
Elon Musk, the wealthiest man in the world, top Trump advisor and South African native, stood behind the sofa in an oval office with a reporter, quietly staring at him.
He was invited as an observer, but Trump brought him into conversation.
“Elon is from South Africa. I don’t want Elon to get involved. That’s all I have to do. “He actually came here to another theme: sending the rocket to Mars.
For decades, South Africa has been ruled under apartheid control by the country’s white minority, many of which were descendants of Dutch settlers. Apartheid, a legalized system of segregation, stripped the majority of its citizens from its fundamental rights and forced many black South Africans to live in ethnic Bantstan. It ended in 1994.
Ramaphosa and other defenders of the Land Erosion Act argue that policies are necessary to reverse the apartheid-era heritage of disparities in land ownership.
Although the apartheid rules ended long ago, a 2024 survey by researchers at the Institute of Africa and the University of Zambia shows that typical black South African households have only 5% of the wealth of typical white families.
“What you saw – the speeches that were being given – it’s not government policy,” Ramaphosa said he was still responding to the video clip highlighted by Trump. “In South Africa there is a multi-national democracy that allows people to express themselves. Political parties adhere to a variety of policies. In many cases, these policies are not in line with government policies.”
If the clash between Trump and Ramaphosa wasn’t enough, the meeting was even more tense when NBC News reporters rattled Trump asking about the Catarijet.
News have been broken that the Pentagon has officially accepted a gorgeous Boeing 747 jet from Qatar for use as an air force. It is considered to be the biggest foreign gift accepted by the president in US history, and Democrats argue that it is unconstitutional for Trump to take it.
“NBC is trying to take down the subject of what you just saw. You’re a terrible reporter,” Trump said. “This was a great thing to do to help NBC get into the subject of the gifts given to the US Air Force…”
Helps two professional golfers to simmer tension
The conversation traced back to South Africa’s racial dynamics and violence.
Ramaphosa sought help in providing South Africa with technology to identify where the shooting is taking place.
“We have the support we can get from you and the United States to help you deal with this aggressive crime,” he told Trump. “And that’s what I believe is partnerships are all about, and we are here as partners.
About 45 minutes after the meeting, Trump asked the famous South African golfer Ernie Else (one of the Ramaphosa guests) to say some words.
“This is more difficult than sinking a three-footer,” Trump said. He invited Els, the winner of four major golf championships, to speak.
Elles took his South African passport from the pocket of his jacket to show his pride in his country. But he said 35 years after the transition from racial sector policies under apartheid to a black-led government, supporters hope that the country will flourish.
“We want to see things get better in our country,” said Els, a white man. “I know there’s a lot of anger through the transition.”
Els said black leader Nelson Mandela had united the country by not promoting hatred. He said the business is involved in the government and shows greater coexistence between races.
“We feel that the US is needed to push through this,” Els said. “It’s very important that we have your support and get the changes we need.”
Trump praised his presentation.
“You did that well, boy,” Trump said after Els was finished. “He may have done even better than playing golf, which is almost impossible.”
Elles also helped cool the temperature, along with South African golfer Letty Fugousen, who spoke again before the press was escorted.
White Goosen also said his father was a land developer and farmer, and his brother continued to farm. “It’s a constant battle. They’re trying to burn the farm to drive you away,” he said. “Making a living as a farmer is a concern. Without farmers, there is no food on the plate.”
Goosen said the other farmers had been killed. His family lives behind an electric fence, but said that it doesn’t prevent his brother and mother from being attacked at their home.
“Difficult,” he said.
Trump expressed his sympathy.
“That’s not a way to live,” Trump said.
Reuters contributed.
Reach Joey Garrison with X @joeygarrison.
