US President Donald Trump played videos of Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema during a meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at the White House on Wednesday.
Watch: Trump plays footage of Malema to prove his point about ‘Afrikaner genocide’
The footage, shown to support Trump’s claims about attacks on white South Africans, triggered a sharp response from the EFF and further strained already delicate diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The clip, reportedly showing Malema using the chant “Kill the Boer, Kill the Farmer” and speaking on land redistribution in Parliament, was presented by Trump to argue that South Africa’s land reform laws are racially motivated and harmful to the white minority.
Trump repeated his belief that Afrikaners are being targeted and again questioned the Expropriation Bill, which Ramaphosa signed into law in January.
The EFF condemned the move, stating in an official statement that Malema’s remarks were taken out of context. The party clarified that the chant is a historical expression tied to South Africa’s liberation struggle, and noted that South African courts had ruled it as not constituting hate speech.
“We will defend our constitutional democracy and never bow and succumb to imperialism,” the EFF said, accusing Ramaphosa and his delegation of “groveling” and undermining South Africa’s sovereignty during the talks.
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The meeting was attended by high-profile South Africans, including businessman Johann Rupert, Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen, and golfers Ernie Els and Retief Goosen. On the US side, Trump was flanked by Vice President JD Vance, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Africa adviser Dr Massaid Bolous.
During the session, Ramaphosa attempted to reframe the discussion. He denounced the chant, but clarified that such expressions came from political parties outside government.
He stressed that crime affects all South Africans and that land reform was being implemented lawfully. When asked about white farmers possibly leaving the country, he deferred to Steenhuisen, who said most intended to stay.
Despite the intense back-and-forth, Ramaphosa maintained composure, contrasting with past confrontational encounters Trump has had with other leaders.
He invoked Nelson Mandela and called for the US to remain involved in the G20, noting that South Africa was preparing to hand over the chairmanship to the US later this year.
Meanwhile, civil rights group Afriforum did not confirm whether the footage Trump used came from their materials. Kallie Kriel said only that he “can neither confirm nor deny” it.
Trump has called for Malema’s arrest, citing incitement concerns.
The EFF dismissed this as a reaction to its stance on land expropriation and vowed to monitor any efforts to change South African law under international pressure.