Trump confronts South African president with white genocide claims in Oval Office meeting

WASHINGTON — President Trump confronted South African President Cyril Ramaphosa Wednesday with claims that the country’s black-majority government is carrying out a genocide of white farmers — ordering the Oval Office’s lights be dimmed to show an inflammatory video detailing purported evidence of crimes against humanity.

The footage included left-wing populist leader Julius Malema calling for the murder of members of the country’s 4.5 million-strong white community, which comprises about 7.3% of the population — as well as a roadside memorial ostensibly for dozens of murdered white farmers.

Trump also hammered Ramaphosa for a recently passed law allowing the South African government to confiscate allegedly unused land — as South Africa-born Elon Musk, the world’s richest man and a key Trump adviser, looked on.

President Trump confronted South African President Cyril Ramaphosa about claims that the country is carrying out a genocide of white farmers. AFP via Getty Images

Trump told Ramaphosa that friends of his from South Africa said “they take your land and they kill you” if you’re white.

“What you saw the speeches that were being made, one that is not government policy,” Ramaphosa insisted. “Our government policy is completely, completely against what he was saying.”