Tensions Rise as Trump Accuses South Africa of ‘White Farmer Genocide’

President Donald Trump met with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in Washington this week, but the diplomatic meeting quickly took a confrontational turn. According to several U.S. and international media outlets, Trump directly accused the South African government of committing “genocide against white farmers,” a statement that drew sharp backlash from the Ramaphosa delegation.

The remark, reportedly made during a closed-door session and later echoed in a Truth Social post, stated: “The United States cannot stay silent when basic human rights are violated—regardless of who the victims are.” Trump was referring to South Africa’s ongoing land redistribution efforts and reports of violence against white landowners.

The South African side strongly rejected the accusation. A spokesperson for President Ramaphosa’s office told Reuters that “there is no government-sanctioned violence or ethnic targeting in our land reform policies,” urging the U.S. to base its positions on verified information rather than political rhetoric.

The incident has strained relations between the two nations, with South Africa’s Foreign Ministry expected to issue a formal diplomatic response. Officials are also reportedly seeking clarification from the U.S. State Department.

The meeting had initially been scheduled to focus on trade, investment, and cooperation in energy and infrastructure. However, those topics were quickly overshadowed by Trump’s remarks, which reignited a long-standing international controversy over South Africa’s internal land reform.

Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have both published reports urging accurate, evidence-based assessments of violence in rural South Africa—warning against both politicization and denial. Trump’s statement is expected to spark further political debate ahead of the U.S. elections, as his administration continues to adopt assertive positions on global human rights issues.