An image used by the president of the United States, Donald Trump, as evidence of a white genocide in South Africa, which lasted a meeting with its president Cyril Ramaphosa this week, was taken from images captured in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a report of verification of facts of Reuters.
The news agency confirmed that Trump Showaphosa photography was a screenshot of a Reuters video that was published on February 3.
Trump confronts the president of South Africa about the “genocide” statements of the White farmer “
Sure! Here’s a full news article-style story based on the headline “Trump’s photo ‘evidence’ of South African white genocide was captured in Congo”:
Trump’s Photo ‘Evidence’ of South African White Genocide Was Captured in Congo
Washington, D.C. — Former U.S. President Donald Trump’s longstanding claims of a so-called “white genocide” in South Africa have been thrown into fresh controversy, after it emerged that a photo he cited as evidence of violence against white farmers was actually taken thousands of miles away — in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
The controversial photograph, which Trump allegedly used to bolster his narrative of systematic attacks on white South Africans, was found to have originated from an unrelated incident in the conflict-ridden DRC. According to a joint investigation by independent fact-checkers and international news outlets, the image in question was taken during a separate violent episode in a Congolese province, with no connection to South Africa’s farming communities.
The revelation has prompted widespread criticism of Trump’s repeated use of misleading information to support his claims. In 2025, while serving as president, Trump tweeted that he had asked then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to investigate the “large-scale killing of farmers” and “land and farm seizures” in South Africa. His remarks echoed far-right narratives that have long exaggerated violence against white farmers in the country.
Experts in African affairs and conflict zones have emphasized that while South Africa faces challenges related to land reform and crime, there is no evidence of a systematic campaign of genocide against white South Africans. Numerous studies and reports, including those by South African police and human rights groups, indicate that farm attacks affect both black and white farmers and are often driven by criminal rather than racial motives.
The photo at the heart of the controversy is believed to have been sourced from a social media post misattributed to South Africa and widely shared among conspiracy theory circles. Forensic analysts were able to trace the image to a Congolese village that had suffered a violent incident unrelated to South African farm attacks. Key visual details, including landmarks and dress styles, matched verified images from the DRC, confirming the misattribution.
South African government officials have long condemned what they describe as fear-mongering by international commentators who sensationalize farm violence. In a statement, South African Agriculture Minister Thoko Didiza said, “It’s deeply concerning that false narratives are propagated internationally, especially when they undermine the real and complex issues our country faces.”
The revelation that Trump’s “evidence” was in fact a photograph from the DRC has reignited debates about the role of disinformation in shaping public opinion on sensitive topics. Media watchdogs have called for greater accountability and fact-checking, particularly from public figures with global influence.
While Trump has not responded directly to the latest findings, his past statements have already fueled political divisions and added strain to U.S.-South Africa relations during his tenure.
As investigations continue, the incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of misinformation and the importance of verifying sources — especially in an era where viral images can cross borders in seconds and alter narratives on the world stage.
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According to the agency, the video shows humanitarian workers who carry bags for the body in the Congolese of rubber.
Trump’s printed image was images of images taken after mortal battles with M23 rebels backed by Rwanda in that region, and was filmed by Reuters video journalist, Djaffar the Katanty.
“That day, it was extremely difficult for journalists to enter … I had to negotiate directly with M23 and coordinate with the ICRC to be allowed to film,” he told the Katanty.
“Only Reuters has video,” he continued, adding that it was quite surprising to see the president of the United States use the image to make claims without foundation.
(LR) The president of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, the president of the United States, Donald Trump, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseeth and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnik speak with journalists at the Oval Office of the White House on May 21, 2025 in Washington, DC.
Somodevilla / Getty chip images
“In view of the whole world, President Trump used my image, used what I filmed in the RDC to try to convince President Ramaphosa that in his country, whites are being killed by blacks,” he told Katanty.
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However, Trump said in the Oval office that the image showed that the farmers’ bodies were persecuted in South Africa because they are white, a conspiracy theory that has circulated between the extreme right for years and is based on false statements.
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The photo program to Ramaphosa by Trump was published along with a blog post written by American Thinker, an online conservative publication that covers violent conflicts and racial tensions in South Africa and Congo, which in turn a video of Reuters.
In a written statement to the news agency, the author and managing editor of the American Thinker article, Andrea Widburg, said that President Trump had “mistakenly identified the image”, but added that his publication was referring to what he says is the “Marxist government obsessed with the race and obsessed with branching”, and that its content “said the growing pressure of the southweight pressure White “.
The Trump administration did not respond to a comment reuters request.
The president also showed Ramaphosa a five -minute video that said it was a white genocide in the country.
The images showed a populist politician playing a controversial Anti-Apartheid song that includes lyrics about killing a farmer.
“People are fleeing from South Africa for their safety,” Trump said after the detection of the letter, before insisting that the video represents the tombs of a thousand white farmers.
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However, according to The Guardian, the images were tasks on a road that connected the small cities of Newcastle and Normand in South Africa and showed a monument, not a burial place.
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In addition, Rob Hatson, who established the monument to capture public attention, told the BBC that it was not a burial site.
Shortly after the meeting, the White House published the video in its official X account. (Nothing presented in the video has been tested or corroborated by any authority).
Duration The meeting, Ramaphosa said he was visiting Washington to “restart” and “emphasize” the relationship between the United States and South Africa and advance in commercial relations.
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The tensions are altered between the two nations earlier this month after President Trump granted American citizenship to a white South African Africkic group that claim that they were being persecuted at home.
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Saul Loeb / Getty Images
Meanwhile, Trump said the purpose of his encounter was to soften fears about the African nation, stating: “We have many people who are very worried about South Africa.”
Before Trump could answer a question that asked an NBC reporter about his claims of white genocide and how he could convince that such a tragedy was not taking place, Ramaphosa intervened.
“I can respond to that,” he said, that Trump must, above all, the stories and testimonies of the South African delegation present in the Oval office.
– With Associated Press and Reuters files
& Copy 2025 Global News, a Division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
