White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt entered into an argument with an NBC journalist who questioned her regarding the "credibility" of a video played by US President Donald Trump allegedly depicting burial sites of white farmers in South Africa.
Also Read: Donald Trump shows Cyril Ramaphosa evidence of 'white genocide' in South Africa during explosive Oval Office meeting
While hosting his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa, Trump aired in the Oval Office a video which showed white crosses. The crosses, Trump alleged, were approximately 1,000 burial sites of white Afrikaner South African farmers.
The US president has repeatedly claimed white South African farmers are being killed and forced off of their land.
However, Yamiche Alcindor of NBC News questioned Leavitt about the video, amid reports the crosses were from a memorial demonstration following the murder of a White farming couple, not actual burial sites.
"We know that that was not true and that the video wasn't true," Alcindor stated during the White House press briefing on Thursday.
Leavitt and Alcindor sparred and talked over one another, with the latter asking, "What protocols are in place when there's unsubstantiated information being put out for the world and world leaders?"
The White House press secretary then stepped in and ended the exchange, saying the video was not unsubstantiated.
"What's unsubstantiated about the video? It shows crosses that represent the dead bodies of people who were racially persecuted by their government. In fact, The Associated Press, of all places, has a picture of that very monument in the caption from The Associated Press is ‘Each cross marks a white farmer who has been killed in a farm murder," Leavitt said.
"So it is substantiated. But it's not just by that video and the physical evidence that everybody saw on display in the Oval Office, but also by another outlet in this from The Associated Press. So you should take it up with them if you believe the claim is unsubstantiated. And that's a ridiculous line of questioning," she added.
The crosses depicted were part of a demonstration which occurred after a white, farming couple was killed in 2020, according to The Associated Press, citing local news reports from South Africa.
Trump told Ramaphosa at the White House the burial sites by the side of the road are visited by those who want to "pay respects to their family member who was killed."
"Have they told you where that is, Mr. President?" Ramaphosa asked, adding, "I'd like to know where that is. Because this I've never seen."
"I mean, it’s in South Africa, that’s where," Trump replied.
"We need to find out," Ramaphosa said.
Also Read: Donald Trump shows Cyril Ramaphosa evidence of 'white genocide' in South Africa during explosive Oval Office meeting
While hosting his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa, Trump aired in the Oval Office a video which showed white crosses. The crosses, Trump alleged, were approximately 1,000 burial sites of white Afrikaner South African farmers.
The US president has repeatedly claimed white South African farmers are being killed and forced off of their land.
However, Yamiche Alcindor of NBC News questioned Leavitt about the video, amid reports the crosses were from a memorial demonstration following the murder of a White farming couple, not actual burial sites.
"We know that that was not true and that the video wasn't true," Alcindor stated during the White House press briefing on Thursday.
Leavitt and Alcindor sparred and talked over one another, with the latter asking, "What protocols are in place when there's unsubstantiated information being put out for the world and world leaders?"
The White House press secretary then stepped in and ended the exchange, saying the video was not unsubstantiated.
"What's unsubstantiated about the video? It shows crosses that represent the dead bodies of people who were racially persecuted by their government. In fact, The Associated Press, of all places, has a picture of that very monument in the caption from The Associated Press is ‘Each cross marks a white farmer who has been killed in a farm murder," Leavitt said.
Karoline Leavitt destroys NBC reporter who claims burial site of thousands of white South African farmers was fake pic.twitter.com/rZaNEqUjtk
— Media Research Center (@theMRC) May 22, 2025
"So it is substantiated. But it's not just by that video and the physical evidence that everybody saw on display in the Oval Office, but also by another outlet in this from The Associated Press. So you should take it up with them if you believe the claim is unsubstantiated. And that's a ridiculous line of questioning," she added.
The crosses depicted were part of a demonstration which occurred after a white, farming couple was killed in 2020, according to The Associated Press, citing local news reports from South Africa.
Trump told Ramaphosa at the White House the burial sites by the side of the road are visited by those who want to "pay respects to their family member who was killed."
"Have they told you where that is, Mr. President?" Ramaphosa asked, adding, "I'd like to know where that is. Because this I've never seen."
"I mean, it’s in South Africa, that’s where," Trump replied.
"We need to find out," Ramaphosa said.
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