Press Secretary Challenges Trump Video During Conference

During a press briefing on Thursday, White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavit engaged in a back-and-forth with reporters regarding a video played by President Donald Trump, which featured graves of South African farmers. The footage included a montage of South African opposition figures calling for violence against white farmers, also known as Boers, and showcased a burial site where some claim deceased white farmers are interred. Reporters contended that the grave depicted did not belong to a murdered white South African, prompting Leavit to dismiss their inquiries as “silly.”

“This video presents images of the graves of white farmers who have faced political persecution solely based on their skin color. Those graves symbolize their lives and the fact that they are no longer with us, while the government has taken no action,” Leavit remarked.

A reporter pressed further, saying, “I contest that what the video portrays aligns with what the president claims. Additionally, what verification procedures does the White House utilize for videos like this when leaders worldwide are presented with potentially misleading information?”

Leavit referenced the Associated Press, clarifying that the video depicted a “basic” view of the White Cross Monument in Polokwane, South Africa. The AP noted that the site features several white crosses to honor the memory of “white farmers killed in farm murders.”

The spokesperson asserted, “What’s unfounded about the video? It depicts a scenario representing individuals suffering due to racial persecution from the government. The Associated Press has photo evidence supporting this.” She emphasized that both the video and the documented evidence within the Oval Office substantiated the claims.

Trump, at a bilateral meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, used the video to counter Ramaphosa’s assertion that there is no genocide occurring in the country. Trump referred to a particular grave site, estimating that about 1,000 white farmers are interred there.

“This is a burning site. Thousands of white farmers and their loved ones come here on Sunday mornings. Each cross you see represents a white farmer—those cars are not just driving by,” Trump stated.

Additionally, the video displayed opposition members inciting violence against white farmers, explicitly urging acts like “cutting their throats.” Ramaphosa, in response, indicated that the sentiments expressed in the video do not reflect official government policy.

Notably, Elon Musk, a South African native and White House advisor, attended the meeting. He has previously highlighted the discrimination against “non-black individuals” and referred to the alleged racist legislation in South Africa as merely “apartheid under a new name.”