In a tense meeting, Trump makes the South African president watch videos about 'white genocide'

What started as a friendly first meeting between President Donald Trump and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa quickly devolved.

WASHINGTON — What started as a friendly first meeting between President Donald Trump and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa quickly devolved after a reporter asked Trump about the U.S. decision to admit white South Africans as refugees.

Trump baselessly claimed that there was a genocide against white people in South Africa, which Ramaphosa and other South Africans have vigorously denied.

Wednesday’s heated meeting marks the latest in a string of unusually tense Oval Office meetings with foreign leaders. It comes amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and South Africa over claims by Trump and Elon Musk about the country's racial equity laws, which prompted the U.S. to recently admit white South African refugees — while barring refugees from other countries. 

Musk, who was born in South Africa, has gone further, repeatedly claiming there is a genocide against white people in the country — comments that Trump eventually began echoing.

After reporters asked about his genocide claims, Trump paused to play a montage of clips that he argued backed up his claims on a television in the room.