Sometimes, a little unexpected truth slips through, even from the left. The New York Times opinion piece provided a glimpse into the elliptical meeting between South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and former President Donald Trump. It noted, “Trump didn’t want a deal in the Oval Office; he craved humiliation.”
Indeed, Trump did embarrass Ramaphosa. South African officials seemed taken aback by the video evidence showcasing racist commentary aimed at white Africans, descendants of Dutch settlers who have been in South Africa for over three centuries. Trump also waved around a newspaper article highlighting violence against Africans.
Trump darkens the lights and calls on South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to footage of South African leaders to kill white farmers. pic.twitter.com/hut8g73kvw
– Daily Caller (@dailycaller) May 21, 2025
“These articles from the past few days — people’s deaths, deaths, deaths, horrifying deaths,” Trump remarked as he flipped the page.
The NYT column downplayed Trump’s behavior as “shaking around fake evidence of a false problem.” It described his claims of targeted violence against Africans as “a racist fantasy of a white South African suffering from genocide at the hands of a black majority.” This interpretation is quite striking coming from a mainstream media writer. At least one other column in the NYT outright dismissed the claims of African refugees, showing a lack of coherence in arguments within a few sentences.
“A few months ago, Ramaphosa enacted a law allowing the government to take land without compensating owners,” remarked John Eligon, the Johannesburg Bureau Director. He noted in a related video that Trump had claimed, “white farmers’ land was seized and that massive killings of white individuals were happening.”
However, even if one accepts this perspective, there remains a question of intent — why Trump chose to stage such a scene during their meeting. It seems Polgreen struggles to provide a keen insight into that.
As she put it, “He wasn’t there to strike a bargain. He was there to create memes for his enthusiastic supporters.” Trump is undeniably a showman, and his supporters do indeed embrace that. Yet, he also demonstrates a grasp of political dynamics and diplomacy. He doesn’t just humiliate foreign leaders for kicks; he understands the weight of public perception and knows how to use it.
His interaction with Ramaphosa evokes memories of an earlier Oval Office confrontation with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, where Trump had a heated exchange in late February.
“We’re attempting to tackle the problem. Don’t dictate how we should feel,” Trump told Zelensky. “You don’t have a card now. With us, you do. You have a lot of lives at stake and a bet with World War II.”
“Have you ever said thank you?” Vance asked during that tense moment.
Zelensky was soon led out of the White House as the NYT described it as “one of the darkest days for Ukraine since the Russian invasion three years earlier.” After that, the U.S. signed landmark minerals agreements with Ukraine. Trump knows how to play his cards right.
Following the recent meeting, Ramaphosa expressed, “I felt like I was sitting with a president who possesses considerable power and focus.” This impression seems to recur frequently.
“On screen, he appears intimidating,” the Japanese Prime Minister said of Trump after their meeting in February. “But when I actually met him, he was incredibly sincere, strong-willed for the U.S. and the entire world.”
Trump, in essence, represents his nation as any president should. Some might expect a different perception from mainstream outlets. Joe Biden hasn’t instilled the same confidence among many Americans, nor do foreign leaders perceive him as particularly authoritative.
Destruction: President Trump has issued the following statement regarding the assassination of Abe Shinzo pic.twitter.com/a1j6aysogt
– Daily Caller (@dailycaller) July 8, 2022
Trump hasn’t always been a powerhouse in diplomatic circles. He has maintained warm relations with the President of El Salvador and appeared to foster a real friendship with the former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was sadly assassinated in 2022. This raises questions about the often mocked diplomatic strategies amidst dismay over Ukraine from the left.
There are lessons to be learned about resisting the mainstream media narrative or understanding political adversaries. Even if someone sees an opponent as malevolent, it’s essential to recognize their motivations. Understanding the enemy is necessary to effectively counter them.
