Trump Shows Congo Photo to Back South Africa Claim—But It’s Not Even the Right Country
During a high-stakes Oval Office meeting on May 21, 2025, former President Donald Trump confronted South African President Cyril Ramaphosa with dramatic claims of a so-called “white genocide” against white farmers in South Africa. Trump, leaning into long-debunked far-right talking points, presented what he claimed were images of murdered white South Africans—only for it to be quickly revealed that the photo was actually taken in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The photo in question, originally published by Reuters, shows humanitarian workers in Goma, Congo, handling body bags after deadly clashes involving the M23 rebel group. The image had nothing to do with South Africa. Still, Trump used it as part of a narrative promoted by the conservative blog American Thinker, which posted the image without proper labeling and linked it to unrelated YouTube footage from the Congo crisis.
Ramaphosa Shuts It Down with Facts
President Ramaphosa, staying measured throughout the meeting, rejected Trump’s misinformation directly. He explained that while South Africa does have a high murder rate, the vast majority of victims are Black South Africans—not white farmers. He also clarified that no farms have been taken under the country’s new land reform law, which is aimed at correcting apartheid-era land disparities.
“There is no white genocide happening in South Africa,” Ramaphosa reportedly said, pushing back on Trump’s claims with data and on-the-ground facts. The land reform efforts, he emphasized, are grounded in equity—not violence.
Global Backlash Over Trump’s False Claims
International observers and South African citizens criticized Trump’s baseless accusations, accusing the former president of fearmongering and pushing racial division for political gain. Misusing images from another country to support a false narrative not only misleads the public but also risks diplomatic fallout.
This isn’t the first time Trump has amplified conspiracy theories surrounding South Africa. But this latest episode, involving doctored context and false visuals, adds a new layer of recklessness to his pattern of global misinformation.
False Narratives with Real-World Consequences
Trump’s comments came as South Africa continues working to rebuild its relationship with the United States after past tension, but again, this just highlights the mass of misinformation coming from the Trump administration. Instead of fostering cooperation, Trump used the meeting to recycle fringe talking points and push a misleading narrative rooted in racial paranoia.
What could have been a diplomatic moment to strengthen U.S.-Africa relations turned into another example of Trump elevating conspiracy over policy. By bringing up a long-debunked claim and backing it with photos from the wrong country, Trump not only embarrassed himself on the world stage but also showed how easily disinformation can be weaponized—especially when it’s coming from the top.
And while Trump may brush it off, these false narratives have lasting impact—fueling racial tensions, shaping foreign policy in bad faith, and damaging America’s credibility abroad.
