An unexpected political storm has erupted around former U
S. President Donald Trump, who during his recent meeting at the White House made a series of provocative statements regarding the situation in the Republic of South Africa. In his speeches, he accused the current South African president, Cyril Ramaphosa, of allegedly carrying out a "white genocide," a baseless conspiracy theory that is actively propagating among extremist right-wing and conspiracy circles in the United States. Its supporters also include influential businessmen and pro-Russian propagandists, notably billionaire Elon Musk and popular TV host Tucker Carlson. The meeting in the Oval Office became a platform for spreading this illegitimate information. Trump repeatedly referenced "thousands of stories" collected in the form of newspaper articles and videos, which he claimed prove mass murders of whites in South Africa. According to the former president, white farmers are fleeing the country en masse due to threats to their lives, being deprived of their land, and even being murdered—accusations that lack confirmation from global sources and have long been criticized by experts. Furthermore, Trump asserted that the situation in South Africa is not only about security but also about systematic racial persecution of white citizens. He referred to specific documents and photographs, including printed articles, which he claimed confirm the existence of mass graves of white farmers. During the presentation, Trump even requested a video to be played—upon which images of white crosses appeared on the screen, supposedly graves of farmers killed in the country. Additionally, he called for action from the U.S. authorities and urged accountability for one of South Africa’s opposition leaders. The official guest from South Africa, President Cyril Ramaphosa, remained resolute and calm in this situation. Responding to the accusations, he stated that he has not yet seen the materials and inquired where exactly the video was filmed. The participant in the meeting maintained composure, inviting open discussion on the topic and emphasizing that South Africa has its own history and documents that refute such extreme claims. Meanwhile, in the room was Elon Musk, of Indonesian descent, who is also characterized as an active supporter of conspiracy theories regarding the situation in South Africa. On his platform X, he recently added a new element—a message claiming that his satellite internet service Starlink is allegedly facing licensing issues in the country because it is supposedly "not Black." This allegation was perceived in South Africa as unfounded, as official sources denied that Musk’s company had even applied for a license. Authorities emphasized that the country’s laws require foreign companies to include local representatives from historically vulnerable groups, and do not discriminate based on skin color. Overall, this incident highlights once again the growing influence of disinformation and conspiracy theories in contemporary global political discourse. In January 2025, the South African government passed a law allowing more flexible land expropriation in the interests of the state, which sparked a wave of political debates and protests. Under this policy, the government aims to eliminate racial inequality in land distribution, reduce privileges of the white minority, and grant more rights to Black citizens. However, these steps are likely to raise many questions and provoke opposition from those fearing a return to discriminatory policies. In recent months, active discussions have unfolded online about the use of Grok, a chatbot created by Musk’s company, which began widely disseminating information about the "white genocide" in South Africa on social media platform X. These responses, often conspiratorial in nature, raise concerns about the spread of disinformation and the erosion of trust in official sources. While the world observes this political and informational sprint, new questions remain about the role and influence of modern technologies, political strategies, and authoritarian trends.