Trump even dimmed the lights of the Oval Office to play a video of a far-left politician chanting a song that includes the lyrics “kill the farmer.” He also leafed through news articles to underscore his point, saying the country's white farmers have faced “death, death, death, horrible death.”
Trump had already cut all U.S. assistance to South Africa and welcomed several dozen white South African farmers to the U.S. as refugees as he pressed the case that a “genocide” is underway in the country.
“People are fleeing South Africa for their own safety," Trump said. “Their land is being confiscated and in many cases they’re being killed.”
Ramaphosa pushed back against Trump’s accusation. The South African leader had sought to use the meeting to set the record straight and salvage his country’s relationship with the United States. The bilateral relationship is at its lowest point since South Africa enforced its apartheid system of racial segregation, which ended in 1994.
“We are completely opposed to that,” Ramaphosa said of the behavior alleged by Trump in their exchange. He added, “that is not government policy” and “our government policy is completely, completely against what he was saying.”
Ramaphosa was greeted by Trump as he arrived at the White House shortly after noon for Oval Office talks and lunch with Trump.
“The president is a truly respected man in many, many circles,” Trump said of the South African president at the start of the Oval Office meeting. "And in some circles he’s considered a little controversial.”
Ramaphosa said it was time to “recalibrate” the relationship, and went out of his way to thank Trump for welcoming him to the White House for the talks.
“We are essentially here to reset the relationship between the United States and South Africa,” he said.
Trump has cut all U.S. assistance to South Africa and welcomed several dozen white South African farmers to the U.S. as refugees.
