By Tim Cocks (Reuters)
Blog Commentary & Call to Action
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa recently sounded the alarm: ideas of white racial superiority are not only a threat to South Africa’s post-apartheid unity, but also to its sovereignty and international relations. Speaking at an ANC conference, Ramaphosa condemned false narratives of “white persecution” that continue to circulate in far-right spaces globally. These myths, he warned, have real consequences for diplomacy and national security.
Yet while Ramaphosa calls for global efforts to debunk these lies, U.S. President Donald Trump has chosen to amplify them. Trump boycotted the G20 summit in Johannesburg, alleging without evidence that South Africa mistreats its white minority. He claimed white farmers were being “slaughtered” and their land “illegally confiscated.” These claims have been widely debunked, but they continue to fuel white supremacist rhetoric worldwide.
Here’s the hypocrisy: Trump accuses South Africa of racism against whites yet remains silent on the systemic racism and repression of Black people in America. In South Africa, a wrong was made right, apartheid was dismantled, and the nation continues to strive for unity. In America, however, racism remains deeply entrenched. Black men are killed at alarming rates, the justice system turns a blind eye, and the trauma of racial injustice grows worse every day.
Before the pot calls the kettle black, America must look inward. Stop throwing stones when you live in a glass house. The U.S. government cannot credibly lecture others on racial justice while ignoring the oppression within its own borders.
Black people in America continue to face systemic racism and deadly police violence at rates far higher than other groups, making Donald Trump’s accusations against South Africa not only hypocritical but deeply offensive.
Police Violence Against Black Americans
- In 2024 alone, U.S. police killed 1,365 people — the deadliest year on record campaignzero.org.
- Of those, 248 were Black, despite Black Americans making up only about 13% of the population Statista.
- The rate of fatal police shootings among Black Americans stood at 6.1 per million per year (2015–2024), more than double that of white Americans Statista.
- Even after the global outcry following George Floyd’s murder in 2020, police killings of Black people have actually increased in recent years NBC News.
- Data shows that unarmed Black men are disproportionately killed by police, highlighting systemic bias in law enforcement factually.co.
Examples of Systemic Racism in America
Systemic racism is not limited to policing, it permeates nearly every aspect of American life:
- Education: Black students are more likely to attend underfunded schools and face harsher disciplinary actions Human Rights Careers.
- Housing: Redlining and discriminatory lending practices have left Black families with far less generational wealth Human Rights Careers.
- Employment: Black workers earn less on average and face higher unemployment rates than white counterparts Robert F. Smith News.
- Healthcare: Black Americans experience worse health outcomes, higher maternal mortality rates, and less access to quality care Human Rights Careers.
- Criminal Justice: Black people are incarcerated at nearly five times the rate of white people, often for similar offenses Human Rights Careers.
Taken together, these examples show that racism in America is not incidental, it is systemic, structural, and ongoing.
Blog Post Framing
South Africa, under Ramaphosa, is working to dismantle the legacy of apartheid and build unity. Meanwhile, America continues to deny or downplay its own racial injustices. For Donald Trump to accuse South Africa of racism against whites while ignoring the daily trauma of Black Americans is the ultimate hypocrisy.
Before the pot calls the kettle black, America must confront its own house of glass. Stop throwing stones abroad while ignoring the shattered lives at home.
Sources: Statista factually.co NBC News campaignzero.org Human Rights Careers Robert F. Smith News
Call to Action
It’s time to:
- Expose and dismantle white supremacist lies globally.
- Hold U.S. leaders accountable for systemic racism and police violence.
- Unite Black communities worldwide in solidarity and resistance.
So I ask again: Should Donald Trump and the U.S. government be called out for this hypocrisy? The answer seems clear, yes, loudly and globally.
Rallying Cry
No more silence, no more lies,
We see the truth with open eyes.
From Soweto to Harlem streets,
Black voices rise, we won’t retreat.
Justice delayed is justice denied,
Too many brothers have already died.
Glass houses crack when stones are thrown,
America fix the rot in your own.
Unite the people, across the land,
Together in strength, we take a stand.
From Cape Town’s shore to Detroit’s fight,
Black power united will set things right.