Lights, video, confrontation: The US visit of the South African President is a dramatic turn

Washington (AP) – “Turn the light off,” said President Donald Trump. It was show time in the Oval Office.

Next to him was the South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who in the hope of reaching New agreements on the trade. But Trump wanted to talk about it unfounded allegations that white farmers were systematically picked out in his country Persecution and murder.

He drew the attention of everyone to a television that had been rolled into the room and started playing a video.

Also for a president who transformed the oval office from a diplomatic event location In a gladiatorial arenaIt was an extraordinary scene. Trump stared on the screen as Ramaphosa looked away. For about four minutes, the video showed black politician-wineies part of the government of Ramaphosa or political party-anti-apartheid chants on attacks of white South Africans.

The politicians said that their comments should not be literally taken. Conservative media use them to widely rejected claims that a genocide is underway in South Africa.

The video ended with film material from rows of white crosses, which according to Trump represented the murdered white farmers.

“It's a terrible sight. I've never seen anything like it,” he said.

Ramaphosa sounded skeptical.

“I would like to know where that is,” he said. “Because I've never seen that before.”

The confrontation Trump's explosive meeting in the Oval Office with the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy repeated almost three months ago, but this did not turn into sharpness. While Zelenskyy and Trump fully contested the news media, what developed on Wednesday was a delicate dance between two managers who had clearly prepared for the encounter.

Trump had more than just the video. He also shook papers through a stack of papers, of which they said they were expression of reports on attacks on white farmers.

“Death. Death. Terrible death,” said Trump. His administration welcomed Dozens of Africans to the United States as refugeesAnd said they will be exposed to discrimination and violence at home.

Ramaphosa rejected accusations in South Africa, which has a painful story with breed. Once an apartheid, it was ruled by a white minority known as African. The system of racist oppression ended three decades ago, and despite the largely successful efforts to reconcile, there is a certain tension.

But instead of suppressing Trump alone, Ramaphosa encouraged Trump to listen to other members of his delegation, including the professional -golfer Ernie Els and the repetition of Gooses.

The President of Golf seemed to be impressed.

“You are champions,” said Trump. “I respect champions.”

There was also Johann Rupert, an African and luxury goods -Tycoon who is the richest person in South Africa.

“We have too many deaths. And it's all the line. It's not just white farmers,” said Rupert.

He added that “we need Starlink at every local police station” to a billionaire born in South Africa, who is on the other side of the room, refers to a satellite internet service created by Elon Musk. Musk advised Trump and he claimed that he cannot get a license for the company in South Africa because he is white.

With Trump, Rupert nodded a common story to emphasize the potential of his country.

“You and I lived in New York in the 1970s. We never thought that New York could be what it got,” he said. He said that in the future he was so confident that he was building cottages for his grandchildren on a farm, and “I often go to bed without locking the door.”

The focus of the meeting on South Africa was briefly interrupted when Trump was asked about the Pentagon, which officially accepted a donated Boeing 747 from Qatar, which the President wants to use as Air Force One.

Trump struck the reporter and said he only tried to distract from the problems with white farmers.

Ramaphosa found humor at the moment.

“I wish I had an airplane that I can give you,” he said

“I wish you did it,” replied Trump. “I would take it.”

Ramaphosa spoke to reporters after leaving the White House and said he was satisfied with the meeting.

“They wanted to see drama and something really big,” he said. “And I'm sorry that we have disappointed you a little when it comes to it.”

One of the journalists disagreed.

“I don't know what makes a drama in her book, but that was very dramatic for me and for everyone else in the room,” he said. “It was a dramatic oval office meeting.”

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