White House Rejects 'Ridiculous' Challenge to Trump’s South African Farmer Death Claims

In a heated exchange at the White House, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended a video shown by President Donald Trump during a meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. The video, displayed in the Oval Office, featured white crosses that Trump claimed marked the graves of approximately 1,000 White Afrikaner farmers, allegedly killed and displaced from their land. The imagery sparked controversy when NBC News reporter Yamiche Alcindor challenged its authenticity during a press briefing, citing reports that the crosses were part of a memorial demonstration for a murdered farming couple in 2020, not actual burial sites.

Leavitt sharply rebuffed Alcindor’s question about the video’s credibility, insisting it was substantiated by evidence, including an Associated Press caption describing the crosses as markers for murdered white farmers. The back-and-forth grew tense as Alcindor pressed on the White House’s protocols for sharing unverified information with world leaders. Leavitt dismissed the line of questioning as "ridiculous," pointing to the AP’s reporting as validation.

During the meeting, Ramaphosa expressed skepticism, stating he was unaware of such burial sites in South Africa and requested their location. Trump’s vague response—"It’s in South Africa, that’s where"—left the issue unresolved, underscoring the diplomatic tension. The incident highlights the broader debate over land disputes and violence against farmers in South Africa, a complex issue demanding clarity amid emotionally charged claims.