Trump confronts South African leader with baseless white farmer kill claims

US President Donald Trump recently confronted South African President Cyril Ramaphosa during a meeting at the White House. Trump accused South Africa of not addressing his unfounded claim of targeted killings of white farmers.

He also leafed through news articles to underscore his point, saying the country’s white farmers have faced “death, death, death, horrible death”.

South African businessman Johann Rupert, standing right, watches a video during a meeting between President Donald Trump and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in the Oval Office of the White House, Wednesday, May 21, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

During the meeting, Trump even dimmed the lights in the Oval Office to show a video of a far-left politician singing a song with the lyrics “kill the farmer.”

In South Africa, foreign companies in the communications sector are required to comply with affirmative action laws. These laws mandate that 30 percent of their local subsidiaries must be owned by shareholders who are Black or from other historically disadvantaged racial groups.