Trump makes “ambush” against president of South Africa

US President embarrassed his South African counterpart, Cyril Ramaphosa, during a visit to the White House, presenting false evidence that white farmers are being murdered and persecuted in the country.

United States President Donald Trump publicly humiliated South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa on Wednesday (5/21) at the White House by making misleading allegations about a “white genocide” in the country. The scene, accompanied by the press and broadcast live, recalls the “ambush” made in February against Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski, accused by Trump, at the time, of inciting a “world war”.

Trump demanded Ramaphosa’s “explanations” about the fate of white farmers in South Africa, based on the false argument that there were seizures of land and mass murder – white ethnic minority, largely descendant of Dutch, Germans and French settlers, who ruled the country during the era of apartheid, the brutal regime of racial segregation that in force 1948 to 1994.

The meeting began cordially, with Ramaphosa and Trump exchanging comments about golf. The South African champions Ernie Els and Retief Goosen were present as part of the delegation.

But the meeting soon took a different course. Trump has diminished the lights of the Oval Hall to show a video and printed articles with alleged evidence that South African white farmers are being chased.

One of the images showed white crosses on the edge of a road. “It’s a terrible view. I’ve never seen anything like it.” Trump also showed a series of printed articles. It is about “death, death, death,” he said.

In another image used as Trump proof, Red Cross workers with protective equipment holds bodies. According to Reuters, it is actually a screen capture of a YouTube video of February, the work of teams from the humanitarian aid organization after women were raped and burned vivid during a mass arrest escape in the Congolese Gum.

“People are running away from South Africa to their own security. Their lands are being confiscated and in many cases they are being killed,” Trump said at one of the many accusations.

Ramaphosa remained calm and countered: “They told him where it is, Mr. President? I would like to know where it is, because I have never seen it,” and promised to investigate the case.

The South African President insisted that there is a crime in South Africa, but that most victims are black. Trump interrupted him and said, “The farmers are not black.”

Narrative of right -wing extremist circles

The idea of ​​“white genocide” is driven in the US mainly by groups and individuals associated with far-right movements, including Billionaire Elon Musk, Trump’s ally in South Africa, who was also in the oval hall on Wednesday.

Elon Musk has spread the conspiracy theory of “white genocide” in South Africa, where it was born | Evan Vucci/AP Photo/Picture Alliance

South Africa rejects the allegation that whites are a disproportionate target of crimes. Homicide rates are high in the country, but the overwhelming majority of the victims are black. According to police data, about 75 people are murdered daily in South Africa, most of them, young black people in urban areas.

Trump had already accused the government of Pretoria of discriminating white minorities. In recent months, the US President has focused his criticism of the new land reform law designed to repair apartheid’s injustices.

The text allows expropriations without compensation when it is of public interest – for example, if the earth is unproductive. Most agricultural lands in South Africa remain owned by members of the small white minority. No expropriation has been carried out so far, and any order can be contested in court.

In early February, Trump froze all the help of the United States to South Africa and opened the possibility of asylum in American territory to Africanks – although he stopped accepting refugees from war and crisis zones.

In March, the US also expelled the South African ambassador in the country, in response to an alleged human rights violation of the South African white population.

Two weeks ago, the first South Africans refugee, a group of 49 people coming from a plane chartered by the US government arrived in the US.

Since the beginning of the bilateral crisis, Ramaphosa has tried to flatter Trump with political offers, such as access to raw materials. The visit to the US was another attempt to soften the relationship. The US is the second largest commercial partner in South Africa after China. Trump’s government has applied a 30% rate on South African imports, currently suspended. Ramaphosa was interested in discussing a trade agreement and business opportunities at Wednesday’s meeting.

Originally published by DW on 21/05/2025