During a tense Oval Office meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, U.S. President Donald Trump repeated false claims about white farmers in South Africa, sparking widespread criticism and concern. Trump presented misleading videos and statements, many of which have been widely debunked.
Here’s a breakdown of Trump’s key claims — and the facts that contradict them:
U.S. President Donald Trump meets South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 21, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
1. Claim: White Farmers Are Victims of Genocide
Fact: There is no evidence of a genocide against white farmers in South Africa. This conspiracy theory has circulated among far-right groups and gained support from figures like Elon Musk.
While South Africa does have a high murder rate — about 72 people per day in a population of 60 million — most victims are Black. In 2024, only 44 of 26,232 recorded murders were linked to farming communities, and just eight victims were farmers. Even the Afrikaner farming union TLU-SA reports an average of 40 white farmers murdered per year since 1990, less than 1% of all murders.
Trump’s false claims about white farmers in South Africa have been repeatedly discredited by independent data and court rulings.
Earlier this year, a Western Cape high court dismissed white genocide claims as “clearly imagined and not real.”
2. Claim: The Government Is Forcibly Seizing White-Owned Land Without Compensation
Fact: The South African government has not carried out any forced land seizures. While land reform remains a key issue due to apartheid-era inequalities, no land has been expropriated without compensation.
President Ramaphosa signed a law in January allowing expropriation without compensation only in rare cases and only after attempts to reach voluntary agreements. So far, this provision has not been used. Whites, who make up less than 8% of the population, still own around 75% of privately held farmland.
3. Claim: The Song “Kill the Boer” Is a Literal Call to Violence
Fact: The controversial song has historical roots in South Africa’s anti-apartheid struggle and has been the subject of multiple court cases. South African courts have ruled it is not hate speech, viewing it instead as symbolic political expression.
The song was highlighted in a video shown by Trump, featuring Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema. The EFF later said the song is about dismantling white minority control, not inciting violence.
4. Claim: A Video of White Crosses Represents Burial Sites of Murdered Farmers
Fact: The video, filmed in 2020, was from a protest, not a graveyard. Protesters placed crosses by a highway to symbolize victims of farm attacks. An organizer told the national broadcaster, SABC, that they were symbolic, not actual graves.
5. Claim: Photo of Body Bags Shows White Farmers Being Buried
Fact: The image Trump displayed actually showed humanitarian workers burying victims in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, after fighting involving M23 rebels. It was misrepresented and used out of context from a blog post discussing tribalism.
6. Claim: Malema’s Parliamentary Remarks Prove Land Seizures Are Orchestrated
Fact: While Malema and the EFF have made provocative statements, there is no evidence they are behind any land seizures. Some land occupations have occurred over the years, often driven by poor and landless people. These typically involve unused land, and not through coordinated EFF action.
Many of Trump’s false claims about white farmers in South Africa are based on out-of-context videos and conspiracy theories.
Trump’s remarks about South Africa were riddled with inaccuracies and conspiracy theories. Independent data, court rulings, and official statements consistently refute claims of genocide, land grabs, and racially motivated violence against white farmers. South Africa continues to grapple with the legacy of apartheid, but exaggerated and false narratives do not reflect the reality on the ground.
SOURCE: REUTERS
