In a contentious Oval Office meeting on May 21, US President Donald Trump confronted South African President Cyril Ramaphosa with unsubstantiated claims of a "white genocide" targeting white farmers in South Africa. Trump presented videos and news clippings to support his allegations, despite South African police data indicating that the majority of murder victims in the country are Black, and only eight of 44 farm-related murders in 2024 involved farmers.
According to Reuters, Ramaphosa, who was aiming to discuss trade and mend strained diplomatic ties, refuted the claims, emphasizing that there is no genocide occurring and that the new land reform law allows for expropriations without compensation when in the public interest. He was accompanied by prominent white South Africans, including billionaire Johann Rupert and golfers Ernie Els and Retief Goosen, as part of a goodwill gesture.
The meeting, reminiscent of Trump's previous confrontational encounter with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has drawn criticism from observers who labeled it a calculated political spectacle. Experts warn that such confrontations may deter future diplomatic visits and potentially undermine US foreign relations.
To find out more about the situation in South Africa, and the 'refugees' recently welcomed by America, click through now.