South Africa’s White House Visit: Trump’s Misleading Claims Spark Diplomatic Tensions

In a recent Oval Office meeting, U.S. President Donald Trump presented a screenshot from a Reuters video, falsely claiming it depicted mass killings of white South African farmers. Holding up a printout from a conservative blog, Trump stated, “These are all white farmers that are being buried,” during discussions with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.

However, the image, verified by Reuters’ fact-check team, originated from footage filmed in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, on February 3. The video captured humanitarian workers handling body bags after deadly clashes with Rwanda-backed M23 rebels, not events in South Africa. The screenshot was featured in a blog post by American Thinker, which discussed racial tensions and conflict in South Africa and Congo without directly captioning the image as related to South Africa.

The Reuters footage, shot by journalist Djaffar Al Katanty, documented a mass burial in Goma. Al Katanty expressed shock at Trump’s misuse of his work, stating, “President Trump used my image, filmed in DRC, to falsely claim white people are being killed by Black people in South Africa.” He noted the challenges of filming in a conflict zone, requiring negotiations with M23 rebels and coordination with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

The American Thinker post, written by managing editor Andrea Widburg, described South Africa’s government as “dysfunctional” and “race-obsessed” while highlighting pressures on white South Africans. Widburg acknowledged Trump’s error, admitting he “misidentified the image.” The White House has not responded to requests for comment.

Ramaphosa’s Washington visit aimed to strengthen U.S.-South Africa ties amid Trump’s criticisms of South Africa’s land policies and alleged mistreatment of its white minority, claims South Africa refutes. During the meeting, Trump played a video and flipped through articles, alleging “death, horrible death” of white South Africans, echoing a debunked far-right conspiracy theory about white farmer genocide.

This incident underscores the importance of verifying sources in political discourse, as misinformation can escalate tensions. Stay informed with trusted sources for accurate updates on global conflicts and fact-checked news.