WASHINGTON, D.C. – What was meant to be a diplomatic meeting aimed at cooling tensions between the United States and South Africa took an unexpected turn when former U.S. President Donald Trump used a joint press briefing to raise alarm over what he described as the “systematic killing and persecution of white farmers” in South Africa — a claim widely disputed and politically explosive.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who was visiting the White House for talks intended to mend strained ties with Washington, was visibly caught off guard by Trump’s remarks, which echoed longstanding far-right conspiracy theories and have been repeatedly debunked by human rights organizations and law enforcement agencies in South Africa.
During a press briefing held at the White House on Tuesday, Trump shifted the conversation from diplomatic relations and trade agreements to an unsolicited commentary on alleged violence against white South Africans, specifically white landowners.
“There’s a silent genocide happening. White farmers are being killed, farms are being taken, and the world is silent,” Trump said, referencing a video montage of roadblocks and protests in South Africa.
“I don’t even know where this video was filmed, but it’s disturbing,” he added, playing a video allegedly showing unrest, which the BBC could not independently verify and may not have originated from South Africa.
The remarks came just days after the U.S. government granted asylum to nearly 60 South Africans, citing concerns over persecution — a move Pretoria strongly protested, calling it a “mischaracterization of the situation on the ground.”
Tensions between the U.S. and South Africa have been simmering over a range of issues, from foreign policy stances on Russia and Palestine, to recent asylum cases and trade disagreements. However, Trump’s comments added a new layer of controversy, reviving claims from his previous presidency where he directed the State Department to “investigate the killing of white farmers” in South Africa — an initiative that led to diplomatic backlash but no actionable findings.
According to statistics from the South African Police Service (SAPS), farm attacks — while real — affect victims across racial lines, and experts have rejected the narrative of a targeted genocide against white landowners. Multiple fact-checking organizations, including Africa Check and Amnesty International, have emphasized that South Africa’s broader crime epidemic is the main driver of such violence, not racial hatred.
President Ramaphosa, typically composed on the international stage, pushed back tactfully but firmly.
“South Africa is a constitutional democracy that protects all its citizens, regardless of race. We take all forms of crime seriously, but we reject any insinuation of racial targeting or genocide,” Ramaphosa stated.
He added that Trump’s remarks were “unhelpful and misleading” at a time when both countries should be focusing on mutual economic cooperation, climate action, and global peace.
The incident is expected to further complicate diplomatic relations between the two countries. Trump’s return to the political stage amid his 2024 campaign has already reignited contentious debates on race, immigration, and global alliances. His remarks also threaten to undermine Ramaphosa’s efforts to present South Africa as a stable partner in an increasingly polarized geopolitical environment.
The South African Ministry of International Relations is reportedly preparing an official statement in response to the press conference, while several members of Congress and international rights groups have criticized Trump’s comments as reckless and racially inflammatory.