Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: More than 70 martyrs in Israeli attacks on Gaza since dawn.
Death toll from latest Israeli strikes on Gaza rises to 30
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Five killed in the Israeli bombing of a civilian vehicle on Al-Qassam Street in Khan Younis, south of the Gaza Strip
Hamas confirms that it has no connection to the shooting incident in Rafah and affirms its commitment to the ceasefire agreement
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Two civilians were killed and four others, including a child and an infant, were injured in an Israeli bombing of a house belonging to the Al-Banna family in the al-Sabra neighborhood, south of Gaza City
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: An Israeli airstrike targets the vicinity of Al-Shifa Medical Complex, west of Gaza City
Al-Qassam: We will postpone the handover of the body of the Israeli captive we found, which was scheduled for today, due to the occupation's violations
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: Israeli occupation aircraft launch airstrikes on the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip
Netanyahu's office: At the end of the security consultations, the prime minister instructed the military to launch massive military strikes on the Gaza Strip immediately
President Aoun: We urge the activation of the monitoring committee, the cessation of hostilities, ongoing Israeli violations, attacks

Trump pushes white genocide false claim to South Africa's Ramaphosa

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 21 May 2025 23:53
  • 1 Shares
4 Min Read

Trump confronted South African President Ramaphosa with false claims of white genocide during a tense Oval Office meeting focused on the land reform laws in Ramaphosa's country.

Listen
  • x
  • President Donald Trump greets South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at the White House, Wednesday, May 21, 2025, in Washington (AP)
    President Donald Trump greets South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at the White House, Wednesday, May 21, 2025, in Washington. (AP)

In a tense Oval Office meeting on Wednesday, US President Donald Trump confronted South African President Cyril Ramaphosa with discredited claims of a so-called "white genocide" and unlawful land seizures in South Africa, echoing far-right talking points widely debunked by international observers.

Anticipating a hostile reception, Ramaphosa arrived in Washington accompanied by high-profile white South Africans, including golfers Ernie Els and Retief Goosen, as part of an effort to focus discussions on trade and economic cooperation.

But Trump steered the meeting in a different direction. Launching into an orchestrated presentation, he accused South Africa of persecuting white farmers and confiscating land, bolstering his remarks with a video montage and a stack of printed articles, claiming they substantiated his concerns.

“People are fleeing South Africa for their own safety. Their land is being confiscated, and in many cases, they're being killed,” Trump stated, citing what he called evidence of persecution against white South African farmers.

Despite Trump’s assertions, no land seizures without compensation have occurred under South Africa’s new land reform legislation, which permits such action only when in the public interest and subject to court review.

The law aims to rectify historic apartheid-era land dispossession, but Trump described it as “sort of the opposite of apartheid.”

Ramaphosa refutes claims with symbolic delegation

Sitting beside Trump, Ramaphosa remained calm and countered the allegations directly, pointing to the presence of white South Africans, including billionaire Johann Rupert, as evidence that fears of an anti-white campaign were baseless.

“If this were happening,” Ramaphosa said, referencing the alleged killings and expropriations, “they would not be here.”

Trump, however, was unsatisfied with the response. He directed aides to dim the Oval Office lights before airing a video that depicted white crosses and inflammatory clips of South African opposition leader Julius Malema, claiming the footage depicted targeted killings and demanding Malema’s arrest.

Throughout the presentation, Ramaphosa maintained a reserved demeanor, expressing unfamiliarity with the video and stating he would look into its origins.

Trump’s display of propaganda material escalates tensions

Trump continued the performance by flipping through pages of printed news reports, reportedly repeating the word “death” as he passed the materials to Ramaphosa.

The South African leader acknowledged the country’s crime issues but emphasized that the overwhelming majority of victims were Black South Africans.

When Ramaphosa invoked Nelson Mandela’s legacy of peace and reconciliation, Trump interrupted, asserting that the farmers he referred to were not Black, pressing further on what many observers view as a racist conspiracy theory.

Far-right rhetoric shapes US foreign posturing

Trump’s aggressive stance reflects a broader ideological alignment with far-right narratives both domestically and internationally. His administration has intensified criticism of South Africa not only over land redistribution policies but also for Pretoria’s genocide case against "Israel" at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

By raising unsubstantiated genocide claims during high-level diplomatic engagements, Trump has amplified a narrative widely promoted by white nationalist groups and far-right media, despite it being discredited by human rights watchdogs and South African statistics.

The Oval Office encounter bore similarities to Trump’s confrontational diplomacy style, notably during a 2020 ambush of Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky. This latest episode has drawn renewed scrutiny over the influence of ideological extremism in shaping US foreign policy rhetoric.

  • White genocide theory
  • South Africa
  • Cyril Ramaphosa
  • Donald Trump
  • white house

Most Read

'Israel’s Digital Iron Dome: Weaponizing the web against Palestine

'Israel’s Digital Iron Dome: Weaponizing the web against Palestine

  • Technology
  • 24 Oct 2025
Arab League chief exposes secret US deal shielding 'Israel’s' nukes

Arab League chief exposes secret US deal shielding 'Israel’s' nukes

  • Politics
  • 27 Oct 2025
Abu Hamza, the spokesperson for the Al-Quds Brigades, during a speech televised on October 22, 2025 (Al-Quds Brigades Military Media)

Al-Quds Brigades' Abu Hamza mourns leaders, vows continued resistance

  • Politics
  • 22 Oct 2025
US missionary kidnapped in Niger capital, suspected taken toward Mali

US missionary kidnapped in Niger capital, suspected taken toward Mali

  • Africa
  • 23 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
Members of the al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, and Egyptian workers search for the bodies of hostages in a tunnel discovered during searches in Hamad City, Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, on Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025 (AP)
Politics

'Israel' obstructing Gaza body recovery, creating false claims: Hamas

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawwaf Salam talks to US Deputy Special Envoy to the Middle East Morgan Ortagus at the Grand Serail in Beirut, Lebanon, October 28, 2025 (NNA)
Politics

Salam conveys to Ortagus goals behind any possible negotiations

Writers boycott NYT, demand justice as Gaza media ban faces court
Politics

300+ writers boycott NYT Opinion, cite persistent anti-Palestine bias

Settlers attack West Bank olive harvesters, Injure 3 Palestinians
Politics

Settlers attack West Bank olive harvesters, injure 3 Palestinians

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS