Trump digs in his heels on South African white genocide claims
Speaking on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday, United States President Trump stood firm on his allegations that there is a white genocide taking place in South Africa.
Following a wide-ranging speech, during which he announced that the US will not take Greenland by force, Trump addressed the media.
South African eNCA Journalist Heidi Giokos took the opportunity to ask the president about his previous claims of a genocide against white farmers in South Africa.
“It’s a terrible situation what they’re doing to a certain group of people,” Trump responded. “It’s unbelievable, you wouldn’t think that it could happen today.”
When asked by Giokos what it would take for Trump to drop his claims that this is taking place, he responded that the US possesses data that proves otherwise.
“We have seen the numbers. We have seen the records. It is taking place and it’s got to be stopped.”
The 1948 Genocide Convention defines it as committing certain acts with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group.
Along with other developments, Trump has cited this to justify measures such as imposing tariffs on South Africa, cutting aid, and supporting refugee applications for Afrikaners in the US.
Looking at the US Embassy in South Africa’s website, there is a portal for a refugee programme.
“Consistent with President Trump’s Executive Order on Addressing Egregious Actions of the Republic of South Africa… [it is considering] eligibility for U.S. refugee resettlement.”
This is “for people who are of Afrikaner ethnicity or a member of a racial minority in South Africa who are victims of government-sponsored race-based discrimination,” said the embassy.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has frequently responded to Trump’s claims, calling them “blatant misinformation about our country.”
“There is criminality in our country. People who do get killed unfortunately through criminal activity are not only white people, but the majority of them are also black people,” he told Trump during an Oval Office meeting.
South African officials have also denied the allegations, saying that violent crime levels, while unacceptably high, impact all races.
Africa Check debunked several claims Trump made about a genocide during a May 2025 meeting with Ramaphosa.
Although violent rural crime is a critical issue plaguing the country, “there is no evidence that white farmers in South Africa are more likely to be murdered than other groups,” wrote Africa Check researcher Keegan Leech.
‘It is taking place, and it’s got to be stopped’ – Trump
The relationship between South Africa and the United States has been rocky, with the US currently proposing three laws to impose penalties against South Africa and high-ranking officials.
Tensions can be traced back to key issues, including, but not limited to, South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 2024 and the deepening of BRICS partnerships along with other US adversaries.
Trump did not attend the G20 Leaders’ Summit held in South Africa in 2025, and furthermore has refused to invite South Africa to G20 events hosted by the US in 2026.
In the latest developments, the US issued a sharp rebuke of South Africa after it was confirmed that the South African Defence Force (SANDF) conducted naval exercises with Iran.
A statement from the US Embassy called the action “particularly unconscionable” as Iranian authorities were “shooting, jailing and torturing” citizens engaged in peaceful protests at the time.
Furthermore, Trump has recently announced his plans to build a “board for peace”, inviting dozens of world leaders to join his council, for the price of $1 billion.
Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of an Education Lekgotla on 21 January, Ramaphosa said that he “hasn’t even checked his emails”, knowing South Africa will be excluded from the board.
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