President Trump is not your average politician. One of the things that sets him apart from almost all of his predecessors is that he's not a politician, and he doesn't tap-dance around sensitive issues, like the treatment of Boers (white farmers) in South Africa. In fact, during Wednesday's Oval Office visit with the South African president, Cyril Ramaphosa, the South African leader faced more than a few uncomfortable moments - and that's not a bad thing.
The American government has accepted a small group of Boer farmers as refugees into the United States; these are people who, in South Africa, were facing the prospect of having their lands stolen. They were facing murder. These families, we should note, have in many cases been in South Africa for hundreds of years, and they grow many of the crops that feed South Africans of all races.
During that visit, President Trump gobsmacked President Ramaphosa with a video of political rallies in South Africa, including chants of "Kill the Boer." Townhall has the shocking video on their X account:
🚨WOW: President Trump plays a video for South African President Cyril Ramaphosa of South African officials calling for the killing of white farmers and the theft of their land, bolstering claims of a genocide in his country. pic.twitter.com/MyDqeZoDTr
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) May 21, 2025
President Trump laid out the ground for this video:
We have thousands of stories, talking about it, we have documentaries, we have news stories, and that... Is Natalie here? Is somebody here to turn that? I could show you a couple of things, and I would just... It has to be responded to. Let me see the articles please, if you would, and... excuse me, turn the lights down, turn the lights down and just put this on. It's right behind you.
What followed, by all means, watch the entire thing, was several minutes of shouters calling for confiscation of the land of white farmers, shouts of "Kill the Boer," and one agitator bellowing, "In revolution, at some point there must be killing."
These were followed by a long line of graves, the graves of Boer farmers who had been murdered. Powerful stuff.
President Ramaphosa watched, his expression stunned, like a high schooler in detention; he was clearly uncomfortable. Later, he objected, claiming that this wasn't the policy of his government:
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa tries refuting evidence that white farmers are being targeted and killed in his country: "That is not government policy."
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) May 21, 2025
Trump isn't buying it. pic.twitter.com/IPxEd6riw5
The South African president said in part:
What you saw, the speeches being made, one, that is not government policy. We have a multi-party democracy in South Africa that allows people to express themselves, political parties to adhere to various policies, and in many cases, in some cases those policies do not go along with government policy.
I'm sure President Ramaphosa would like to have us think that, but there are too many dead Boers to excuse the government from any culpability in this. And the statement about allowing people to express themselves is pure corral litter. The United States has greater protections for freedom of expression than any nation in the world, and any political rally shouters here in the U.S. who called for what these agitators in South Africa are calling for would be jailed. This isn't freedom of expression, this isn't freedom of speech, this is an incitement to murder, an incitement to terrorism.
See Also: New: South African Government Releases Terrifyingly Chilling Statement on Fleeing White Afrikaners
This isn't what we've become accustomed to seeing in diplomacy, or what passes for diplomacy in much of the world. But President Trump isn't like any of his recent predecessors; he's looking for results. When he sends administration officials out to deal with these matters, he expects results, and he doesn't much care if another national leader is embarrassed in the process.
President Trump, later in the meeting, explained his reasons for being concerned with South Africa:
Reporter: "Genocide is a very strong word. I'm wondering if you've made up your mind as to whether you believe genocide is occurring in South Africa."@POTUS: "I haven't made up my mind... I'm trying to save lives, no matter where." pic.twitter.com/LPcgmSDSTl
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) May 21, 2025
The conversation was brief but pointed:
Reporter: Genocide is a very strong word. I'm wondering if you've made up your mind as to whether you believe genocide is occurring in South Africa. (Unintelligible) and why you invited President Ramaphosa here today.
President Trump: Well, I haven't made up my mind. I hate to see it, from the standpoint of South Africa. But I'm trying to save lives. We're working with Russia and Ukraine, I have to do that. It's not our war, it was started by other people. (It was) helped along by the past administration, it would have never happened if I were president. But I'm trying to save lives. And no matter where. Rwanda - I have nothing to do with Rwanda and the Congo. But I felt I had a very talented person, in this administration, and I sent him there, and he did an unbelivable job. I think, I mean, we're going to find out. But he's done the hardest part of the job. It should happen.
If I can save lives, I want to save the lives. If it's in Africa that's great, if it's in Europe, if it's in wherever it may be. And it's a very small investment to do when compared to what the consequences are.
Once more, President Trump has shown himself to be a president unlike any of the others, at least in recent years. He's expecting results; he's expecting the other nations of the world to comport themselves in a civilized manner. What's more, he doesn't much care if he has to embarrass another national leader to get his point across. That's what happened this morning in the Oval Office. It won't be the last time.
Finally, for another take on South Africa, check out this video from someone who grew up in South Africa, who lived for years in China, and now resides in the United States. This is the reality in South Africa today, right now.
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