EditElon Musk’s influence looms large over Trump’s false claims of white genocide in South Africa
The US president confronted Cyril Ramaphosa in a style reminding of his clash with Zelenskyy
U.S. President Donald Trump confronted South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on 21 May with inflammatory and baseless claims of white genocide and land seizures during a tense White House meeting, echoing a narrative long promoted by his ally, South African-born billionaire Elon Musk.
The encounter, reminiscent of Trump’s February ambush of Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy, underscored the significant influence Musk appears to wield in shaping Trump’s policy toward South Africa.
South Africa, with one of the highest murder rates globally, sees the vast majority of its victims being Black, contrary to the narrative of targeted violence against white farmers. Ramaphosa had hoped to use the meeting to reset U.S.-South Africa relations, strained by Trump’s recent actions: cancelling vital aid, offering refuge to white minority Afrikaners, expelling South Africa’s ambassador, and criticizing its genocide court case against Israel.
The South African president arrived prepared for a challenging reception, including prominent white South African golfers Ernie Els and Retief Goosen, as well as billionaire Johann Rupert, in his delegation to signal goodwill. Ramaphosa aimed to focus on trade, given the U.S.’s role as South Africa’s second-largest trading partner and the looming threat of a 30% tariff under Trump’s proposed import taxes, currently suspended.
However, Trump orchestrated a dramatic Oval Office confrontation, swiftly pivoting to allegations of mistreatment of white South Africans. At his request, the lights were dimmed, and a television—unusually set up for the occasion—played a video showing white crosses, which Trump claimed marked graves of murdered white farmers, alongside inflammatory speeches by opposition leaders like Julius Malema, whom Trump suggested should be arrested. He punctuated the presentation by leafing through printed news articles, asserting they substantiated his claims.
The video, produced in September 2020 during a protest following the murder of two people on a farm, was misleading. The crosses did not mark actual graves but symbolised farmers killed over time, as an organizer clarified to South Africa’s public broadcaster. Trump’s narrative, however, aligned closely with a fringe conspiracy theory of “white genocide” that has circulated in far-right circles for over a decade, gaining traction through vocal amplification by Musk, who was present in the Oval Office during the meeting.
Musk, born in Pretoria, South Africa, before emigrating to Canada and later the U.S., has repeatedly used his platform on X to promote claims of systemic violence against white South Africans, particularly farmers.
His posts, often citing unverified sources or isolated incidents, have helped elevate the “white genocide” myth to a broader audience, resonating with Trump’s political base, including white nationalists. Musk’s influence appears to have shaped Trump’s fixation on the issue, as evidenced by the president’s reliance on materials echoing Musk’s rhetoric. Sources close to the administration suggest Musk has privately advised Trump on South African policy, advocating for measures like offering asylum to white Afrikaners, a move Trump announced earlier this year.
Trump’s Afrikaner refugee order under fire for racial bias and Musk influence
“We have many people that feel they’re being persecuted, and they’re coming to the United States,” Trump said, referencing white farmers specifically. “People are fleeing South Africa for their own safety. Their land is being confiscated, and in many cases, they’re being killed,” he added, mirroring Musk’s claims despite a lack of evidence supporting widespread land seizures or targeted killings.
South Africa, which transitioned from centuries of colonial and apartheid-era oppression to a multi-party democracy in 1994 under Nelson Mandela, firmly rejects these allegations. A new land reform law, designed to address historical injustices, allows expropriation without compensation in specific cases, such as unused land, but no such actions have occurred, and any orders are subject to judicial review. South African police data for 2024 recorded 26,232 murders nationwide, with only 44 linked to farming communities, eight of whom were farmers—hardly indicative of genocide.
Ramaphosa, maintaining composure, countered Trump’s claims. “If there was Afrikaner farmer genocide, I can bet you, these three gentlemen would not be here,” he said, gesturing to Els, Goosen, and Rupert. Trump, undeterred, insisted, “We have thousands of stories talking about it, and we have documentaries, we have news stories,” flipping through articles and repeating “death, death” before handing them to Ramaphosa.
Ramaphosa acknowledged South Africa’s crime problem, noting that Black citizens are the primary victims, but Trump interjected, “The farmers are not Black.” Ramaphosa responded diplomatically, “These are concerns we are willing to talk to you about,” citing Mandela’s legacy of reconciliation. Trump, whose base includes far-right groups drawn to the “white genocide” myth, dismissed the comparison, stating, “I will say: apartheid, terrible. This is sort of the opposite of apartheid.”
Musk’s role in amplifying this narrative extends beyond public rhetoric. His presence in the Oval Office during the meeting suggests a direct channel of influence on Trump’s South Africa policy. Musk’s X platform has hosted discussions that exaggerate violence against white farmers, often citing outdated or misleading data. His advocacy aligns with his broader critique of South Africa’s post-apartheid policies, including land reform, which he has called discriminatory. This stance has fuelled Trump’s actions, such as the aid cancellation and ambassador expulsion, which analysts say reflect Musk’s framing of South Africa as a cautionary tale of racial and economic decline.
The meeting’s fallout could deter foreign leaders from engaging with Trump, wary of similar public confrontations. Unlike Zelenskyy, who clashed with Trump and left early, Ramaphosa remained composed, praising the Oval Office’s gold-laden decor and expressing hope for collaboration as South Africa prepares to assume the G20 presidency in November. Trump, however, declined to confirm his attendance at the G20 summit.
Later, Johann Rupert supported Ramaphosa, emphasising that crime affects all South Africans, with Black communities bearing the brunt. Ramaphosa pivoted to trade, highlighting discussions on critical minerals and a proposal to import U.S. liquefied natural gas. Yet, he firmly rejected Trump’s central claim: “There is just no genocide in South Africa.”
Sources: Reuters, Elon Musk on X
Caption: US President Donald Trump (R) meets with South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa (L) in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 21 May 2025. Ramaphosa’s visit comes one week after Trump claimed there is an on-going genocide in South Africa and granted refugee status to 59 Afrikaners. [EPA-EFE/JIM LO SCALZO / POOL]
Updated: May 22, 2025 - 05:41
