President Donald Trump defended on Monday his administration's decision to receive white South Africans as refugees, saying there is a "genocide that is taking place" in the country.
Speaking at the White House, Trump was asked about why the group was being allowed into the country even though the government has suspended most refugee resettlement operations.
"They're being killed. And we don't want to see people be killed. South African leadership is coming to see me some time next week. We're supposed to have a G20 meeting or something. I don't know how we can go unless that situation is taken care of. it's a genocide Trumthat's taking place," Trump told reporters.
REPORTER: Why are you creating an expedited path into the country for Afrikaners but not others?
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 12, 2025
TRUMP: Because they're being killed. And we don't want to see people be killed ... it's a genocide that's taking place. Farmers are being killed. They happen to be white. pic.twitter.com/8LV3VmZ296
Trump went to accuse reporters to "not want to talk about" the events unfolding in the country. "They happen to be white. Whether they are black or white makes no difference to me. White farmers are being brutally killed and their land is being confiscated in South Africa. If it were the other way around they'd talk about it."
The first Afrikaner refugees are set to arrive at Dulles International Airport outside Washington on Monday and greeted by a government delegation. White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller said there will be "much larger-scale relocation efforts" related to the group.
"This is persecution based on a protected characteristic — in this case, race. This is race-based persecution," Miller said. The South African government firmly denies all allegations made by the Trump administration, saying criticism is filled with misinformation.
Other State Department refugee programs, including those for people from Afghanistan, Iraq and sub-Saharan countries, have been halted.
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