South African President Cyril Ramaphosa made light of his recent meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump. The meeting took place last week at the White House. During their talks, Trump accused South Africa of allowing illegal discrimination against white farmers.
On Tuesday, Ramaphosa was about to speak at the 2025 Sustainable Infrastructure Development Symposium in Cape Town. As the lights in the room started to dim, he joked that it reminded him of the Oval Office meeting with Trump. There, Trump had asked for the lights to be lowered before showing a video claiming a “genocide” against South Africa’s white minority.
“When I came in, I saw the room going a bit dark,” Ramaphosa said, causing laughter. “They darkened the room. For a moment, I wondered, ‘What is this? It’s happening to me again!’”
The meeting between Ramaphosa and Trump began in a friendly way. But Trump soon played the video and showed pictures and news reports. He said these proved that white farmers were being unfairly targeted in South Africa. The exchange between the two presidents lasted over half an hour.
Trump and some conservative commentators have claimed that white farmers face persecution in South Africa. However, international human rights groups and South African courts say there is no proof of this.
Trump’s interest in the issue was influenced by Elon Musk. Musk was born in South Africa but left the country in 1989. Earlier this year, the U.S. State Department expelled South Africa’s ambassador from Washington.
In addition, the White House granted refugee status to dozens of white South Africans. They claimed discrimination and economic hardship in their country. These refugees arrived in the U.S. in May. This happened even though Trump had stopped most refugee admissions shortly after returning to the White House.
Ramaphosa said he went to the Oval Office to strengthen economic ties between the two countries.
“I was starting to get used to interacting with this man,” Ramaphosa said. “Then suddenly, I heard him say, ‘dim the lights.’ Many people said this was an ambush. I was puzzled and wondered, ‘What is happening?’”
One photo Trump showed during the meeting was later revealed to be from a Reuters video in the Democratic Republic of Congo, not South Africa. Reuters clarified this last Thursday.
The White House did not comment on Ramaphosa’s remarks.
