During a tense Oval Office meeting, former U.S. President Donald Trump confronted South African President Cyril Ramaphosa with a video he said proves “White genocide” is happening in South Africa. Trump dimmed the lights and played the nearly five-minute video on screens, sparking an uncomfortable reaction from Ramaphosa.
The video, later shared on the White House’s X account as “Proof of Persecution in South Africa,” featured various clips, including statements from South African politician Julius Malema. Ramaphosa initially laughed but soon appeared uneasy, questioning the origins of the footage.
“Have they told you where that is?” Ramaphosa asked.
Trump replied, “It’s in South Africa,” but admitted he did not know the exact locations shown.
When asked what action he expected Ramaphosa to take, Trump said, “I don’t know,” while flipping through a thick stack of articles backing his claims.
Ramaphosa rejected the accusation that White South Africans are victims of genocide, pointing to the presence of White members in his delegation—including golfers Retief Goosen and Ernie Els and Agriculture Minister John Henry Steenhuisen—as evidence against such claims.
“If there was Afrikaner farmer genocide, I can bet you these three gentlemen would not be here,” Ramaphosa said, urging Trump to hear the perspectives of White South Africans directly.
The South African president also challenged Trump’s assertion that the country encourages the killing of White farmers. He noted that South Africa faces widespread criminal violence affecting all communities, with the majority of murder victims being Black.
“There is criminality in our country,” Ramaphosa stated. “People who do get killed, unfortunately through criminal activity, are not only White people; majority of them are Black people.”
Official South African police data from October to December 2024 recorded 6,953 murders nationwide. During the same period, 12 people died in farm attacks—only one was a farmer, with others being farm dwellers or employees.
Trump’s claims have been supported by some in his administration and by South Africa-born adviser Elon Musk, but the South African government strongly denies that any genocide or targeted persecution of Whites is occurring. The meeting highlighted the sharp divide between the two leaders on this highly sensitive issue.
