The evidence presented by Donald Trump during a White House meeting, which he claimed showed the mass murder of white South Africans, turned out to be an image from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Trump, in a tense discussion with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, incorrectly labeled footage as depicting a “burial site.”
He asserted, “These are all white farmers buried,” while holding a printed article containing photos. However, those images were actually screen grabs from a Reuters video event that occurred on February 3, where humanitarian workers were filmed transporting body bags in the city of Sesame, following a deadly clash with Rwandan-backed M23 rebels.
The White House has not responded to Reuters’ requests for clarification. During the same meeting, Trump also presented a video claiming genocide was occurring against white South Africans, showing what he said were the graves of over 1,000 farmers marked by white crosses. The footage, taken along a highway linking Newcastle and Normandyne in South Africa, actually depicted a memorial rather than a graveyard.
Rob Hautson, who created the memorial as a way to draw attention, clarified to the BBC, “It was a monument. It was not a permanent monument; it was a temporary one,” established after the murders of two local African farmers.
The video Trump showcased contained inaccuracies but aimed to bolster his call to “evacuate” white farmers facing persecution, countering claims made by the South African government. The idea of genocide against white farmers has been a conspiracy theory gaining traction among far-right groups, based on misleading assertions.
The video featured Julius Malema, a radical politician known for his extreme views. In several clips, he was seen donning the red berets of his leftist Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party, singing provocative anti-apartheid songs including “Kill Boer and Kill Farmers” and “Cut the Throat of Whiteness.”
Trump incorrectly associated Malema’s rhetoric as indicative of government stance towards white minorities in South Africa. Malema is an opposition figure known for advocating extreme reforms, like land redistribution and the nationalization of key industries. His party received only 9.5% of the votes in the last election.
During the meeting, Ramaphosa and his team distanced themselves from Malema’s comments. Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen told Trump that they had formed a coalition “with precise control of protecting these people from power.”
Ramaphosa’s visit to Washington aimed to mend South Africa’s relationship with the US, especially in light of Trump’s ongoing critiques of the country’s land policies and treatment of white minorities, accusations that South Africa has consistently denied.
