Trump Ambushes South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in Oval Office

President Donald Trump spent much of Wednesday’s Oval Office meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa rambling about disproven claims and conspiracy theories that white South African farmers are the victims of a genocide. Ramaphosa was not interested in indulging Trump’s delusions about his country.

When a reporter asked Trump what it would take for him to believe that there was no white genocide taking place in South Africa, Ramaphosa interjected to say that such a shift would require Trump actually “listening to the voices of South Africans, some of whom he is good friends with, like those who are here.” 

“It will take him, President Trump, listening to their stories, to their perspective,” Ramaphosa added.

Over the last week, attendees at the NAMPO agricultural exhibition in Bothaville, Free State — the largest agricultural expo in South Africa — categorically refuted claims that they were victims of a genocide. The allegations have also been rejected by South African courts who have blocked the transfer of funds to white supremacist groups who spread the conspiracy theory. Nevertheless, Trump has granted refugee status to over 50 white South Africans, and banned the government from participating in this year’s G20 summit, which is set to be hosted by South Africa. 

The claim that South African whites — particularly white farmers and Afrikaners — have been the targets of systematic, genocidal, anti-white violence in post-Apartheid South Africa has existed for decades, and is an extension of global white genocide conspiracy theories. The claims have been repeatedly disputed, with both international and South African investigations finding that rural crime against South African farmers victimizes both Black and white farmers and employees. According to a data review by The New York Times, between April 2020 and March 2024, South African police reported 225 farm murders. “Many of the victims — 101 — were current or former workers living on farms, who are mostly Black,” the report read. “Fifty-three of the victims were farmers, who are usually white.”

Trump seemed unmoved in Wednesday’s meeting, at one point handing Ramaphosa — who repeatedly attempted to correct the president’s narrative in as respectful manner as possible — a stack of printed articles he said were related to the murder of a white farmer. “Death. Death. Death,” Trump repeated while flipping through the printouts.

After Ramaphosa suggested Trump actually listen to the perspective of South Africans, Trump had the lights of the Oval Office dimmed and played footage of members of South Africa’s Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party singing the controversial anti-Apartheid song “Kill the Boer.” The presentation also included social media footage of white crucifixes lining a highway in South Africa purporting to represent murdered white farmers.

“I would like to know where this is because this I’ve never seen,” Ramaphosa said. 

“It’s in South Africa,” Trump replied, without stating a specific location. 

Ramaphosa also attempted to explain that while the EFF’s songs were a point of controversy even within South Africa, and he personally disagreed with the content, the party had constitutional protections and free speech rights preventing the government from shutting them down. 

Never one to ignore the Oval Office press gaggle, the president repeatedly complained that the “fake news” media refused to report on the alleged race-based killings and instead was criticizing him for accepting a $400 million airplane from the government of Qatar. The Pentagon confirmed on Wednesday that it had accepted the plane.

“I wish I had a plane to give you,” a seemingly exasperated Ramaphosa said at one point. 

“I wish you did. I would take it,” Trump responded. “If your country offered the United States Air Force a plane, I would take it.” 

Others in the room seemed baffled by the ambush and complaint session Trump had orchestrated at the meeting. At one point, South African businessman Johann Rupert attempted to gently explain to Trump that while South Africa does have “too many deaths. It’s across the board. It’s not only white farmers. It’s across the board.” 

Rupert went on to implore Trump to help provide American technology like drones and Starlink — headed by South African billionaire and regular conspiracy monger Elon Musk — to law enforcement in South Africa, which would help curb crime rates in rural areas.