Trump attacks South Africa again, days before Ramaphosa visits

US President Donald Trump for the second time in a week accused South Africa of perpetrating a genocide against White people — without any proof —  just days before he is set to receive the country’s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, in the White House.

“We treat people very well when we see there’s a genocide going on,” Trump told reporters on board Air Force One, responding to a question. “So, if it’s a genocide, that’s terrible, and I happen to believe it could very well be. South Africa’s out of control.”

Read: US agencies banned from working on SA G20 Summit – report

The comments come days after the US welcomed around 50 White Afrikaners as refugees, claiming they are a persecuted minority, a designation Ramaphosa and his government dispute. Trump and his South Africa-born billionaire backer Elon Musk have both repeatedly spread the conspiracy theory that South Africa is orchestrating a genocide against White Afrikaner farmers and seizing their land.

On Monday, in response to a question about prioritizing Afrikaners over refugees fleeing famine and conflict, Trump said, “It’s a genocide that’s taking place.”

Read: Ramaphosa heads to US to ease tensions with Trump

This week Grok, the artificial intelligence chatbot from Musk’s xAI, also spread the conspiracy theory, randomly replying to unrelated user queries with claims of a genocide against White South Africans. Musk and the company blamed the glitch on an “unauthorized modification.”

The US has objected to a land bill that Ramaphosa signed that allows the government to take private property if it’s in the state’s interest, similar to eminent domain laws in the US.

Read: Ramaphosa, Trump agree to meet to discuss SA-US ties

There have been no official land seizures in South Africa since apartheid ended in 1994, while police statistics show young Black men bear the brunt of violent crime. Ramaphosa has repeatedly denied that any group is being persecuted and insisted that property can only be taken in the public interest and within the confines of the constitution.

Ramaphosa will meet Trump on Wednesday.

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