Trump Busted: Congo Mass Grave Image Used to Falsely Claim ‘White Farmer Genocide’ in South Africa

A diplomatic meeting between US President Donald Trump and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was marred on Wednesday by controversy after Trump falsely presented a Reuters image from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as evidence of a so-called genocide of white farmers in South Africa.

During a tense Oval Office exchange, Trump held up a printout of a blog post from the conservative website American Thinker, showing a Reuters screenshot of body bags being moved in Goma, DRC. Trump claimed the image showed “white farmers that are being buried” in South Africa.

In reality, the footage—filmed by Reuters journalist Djaffar Al Katanty—was taken during the aftermath of deadly clashes between M23 rebels and Congolese forces in Goma. Reuters had published the video on February 3, 2025, and later verified it through its fact-checking team.

“This image was misidentified by the President,” said Andrea Widburg, managing editor of American Thinker, who confirmed the blog post referenced a YouTube video on Congo that clearly credited Reuters.

The misrepresentation stunned Al Katanty. “In view of all the world, President Trump used my image, used what I filmed in DRC to try to convince President Ramaphosa that in his country, white people are being killed by Black people,” he said.

South Africa has consistently denied claims of targeted violence against its white minority. The conspiracy theory Trump referenced has been widely debunked but remains popular in far-right circles.

Humanitarian workers seen in the image were assisting with a mass burial following M23 assaults. Al Katanty recounted the challenges of capturing the footage: “I had to negotiate directly with M23 and coordinate with the ICRC to be allowed to film. Only Reuters has video.”

The White House has not commented on the matter. President Ramaphosa, who is in Washington seeking to rebuild diplomatic ties, remained composed but reportedly expressed his dismay privately.

Trump’s meeting with Ramaphosa was also marked by interruptions, including a moment when Trump played a video he claimed showed white farmers being murdered. He then flipped through a stack of articles, dramatically repeating, “death, death, death, horrible death.”

The article in question did not specify the image’s context, but Trump’s dramatic misrepresentation has drawn sharp criticism from journalists and international observers.

As tensions ease in the Oval Office, the incident serves as a reminder of the dangers of misinformation—especially when amplified by global leaders.

In other news: Knut and Kuppet Withdraw Teachers from Kerio Valley After Killing of Catholic Priest

Trump Busted: Congo Mass Grave Image Used to Falsely Claim ‘White Farmer Genocide’ in South Africa