Trump Accuses Ramaphosa of False Claims in Tense White House Meeting
According to webangah News Agency, citing Reuters, US President Donald Trump confronted South African President Cyril Ramaphosa during a heated White House meeting with unfounded allegations of ”Afrikaner genocide” and land confiscations. The encounter recalled February’s controversial clash between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House.
Ramaphosa had hoped the meeting woudl help restore South Africa-US relations. Trump previously canceled critical aid to south Africa, granted asylum to numerous white South Africans, expelled the country’s ambassador, and criticized Pretoria’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice.
The South African president arrived prepared for confrontation, bringing several prominent white golfers as part of his delegation while stating his intention to discuss trade matters. The US remains South Africa’s second-largest trading partner, tho current Trump tariffs impose 30% duties – currently suspended – on some imports.
In a carefully orchestrated Oval Office attack, Trump immediately raised concerns about treatment of white South Africans. he played a video showing white crosses he claimed marked graves of thousands killed and displayed news articles supporting his allegations while demanding one opposition leader’s arrest.
Flanked by Elon Musk – the American billionaire born in South Africa – Trump asserted: “People are fleeing for their safety. Their lands are being seized and they’re being killed in many cases.” His claims echo an extremist right-wing conspiracy theory Musk has endorsed that has circulated for over a decade.
South Africa rejected these accusations outright. The nation endured centuries of colonial oppression followed by apartheid until becoming a multi-party democracy under Nelson Mandela in 1994. While Pretoria passed controversial land reform laws allowing expropriation without compensation, police recorded 26,232 murders nationwide in 2024 – only 44 occurring in farming communities with eight farmer victims.
A composed Ramaphosa refuted all claims during the meeting. Gesturing to famous white golfers Ernie Els and Retief Goosen alongside billionaire Johann Rupert present in the room he stated: “If there was genocide against farmers I can assure you these three wouldn’t be here today.”
Trump notably dismissed this response while also criticizing Pretoria’s ICJ case against Israel regarding Gaza operations saying he expected it would “go nowhere.”
