South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to meet with President Trump at the White House this Wednesday, following Trump’s assertion that “genocide” is occurring against Africans.
The first group of white South Africans arrived in the U.S. on Monday, as the Trump administration has prioritized resettlement for refugees from Africa.
Ramaphosa will be in Washington from May 19-22 for discussions with Trump, aiming to “reset strategic ties” between their nations, according to a statement from his office.
During a recent meeting, Trump informed South African leaders of his upcoming visit to the White House next week.
The president mentioned that his administration is “essentially expanding citizenship” for those fleeing violence in South Africa who come to the U.S.
Trump defended the refugee program for African individuals, despite halting admissions for others seeking refuge from violence and starvation in places like Sudan and Afghanistan.
“It’s a genocide that people don’t seem to discuss, but it’s a tragic situation. Farmers are being killed,” Trump stated. “Their race doesn’t matter to me—white or black, it’s all the same.” He specifically noted the brutal killings of white farmers and the confiscation of their land, criticizing media coverage as inadequate.
In the last four years, reports indicate that 101 current or former workers living on predominantly black-owned farms have been killed, according to South African police data cited by New York Times.
