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Trump attacks South Africa: ‘White genocide’. Clash with Ramaphosa at the White House

US president projects shock video during meeting with South African leader. Unsubstantiated accusations, diplomatic tension and new controversy over the Boeing gifted by Qatar

US President Donald Trump has turned a diplomatic meeting at the White House into a heated confrontation with his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa, accusing the Pretoria government of hiding an alleged ‘white genocide’. An accusation already repeatedly denied by official sources, yet relaunched by the president in a tone and manner that surprised the visiting delegation.

In the middle of the exchange, Trump asked for the lights to be turned off in the Oval Office and played a five-minute video – not shown to the media but later posted on the official White House X account – claiming it would demonstrate the ‘ongoing persecution of whites’ in South Africa. He flipped through printed articles, repeating the word ‘death’ obsessively, ignoring the calm explanations of Ramaphosa, who reiterated how there are no systematic racially motivated executions in his country. ‘If genocide were taking place, these three men would not be here,’ the South African president said, pointing to the white members of his delegation, including the Minister of Agriculture.

The ‘diplomatic ambush’ reached a climax when Trump, visibly irritated by a question from an NBC reporter about the controversial Boeing 747 donated by Qatar, responded with insults: ‘You’re a jerk. You’re a bad reporter.’ The reference to the $400 million jet, destined to become the new Air Force One, is a sensitive issue: several constitutionalists have pointed to possible violations of the constitutional clause prohibiting US officials from accepting gifts from foreign governments. But the Pentagon has confirmed acceptance of the plane, ‘in accordance with federal law’, while Trump has dismissed the issue by calling anyone who would refuse such a gift ‘stupid’.

Despite the heated climate, Ramaphosa maintained conciliatory tones. ‘You are a partner, you are raising concerns, and we are willing to talk about it,’ he said, trying to bring the focus back to economic issues. ‘We have resources that can fuel the growth of your economy,’ the South African president stressed, referring to strategic minerals and rare earths.

Trump, however, reiterated his willingness to offer political asylum to Afrikaners ‘if they are persecuted’ and did not confirm his presence at November’s G20 in Johannesburg, stating that ‘it’s not very important’. Only a few weeks ago, the president had written on Truth Social that attending the summit in South Africa would be ‘unacceptable’ because of the alleged violence.

Trump’s statements are part of a narrative that has been used before, echoing the unfounded theories also shared by Elon Musk, a presidential advisor and South African by birth. However, a South African court has branded these allegations as ‘clearly imaginary’.

Trump and his allies insist on alleged racial discrimination against the descendants of Dutch settlers, the Afrikaners, omitting the historical context of apartheid and ignoring the current social dynamics of South Africa, where crime affects all communities across the board. But his outbursts now risk damaging diplomatic and trade relations with a country strategic for raw materials.

The staging in the Oval Office – amid manipulative videos, press insults and gratuitous provocations – raises questions about the Trump method: diplomacy or reality show?

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