President Trump wants Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to investigate South Africa’s controversial land reform discussions after Fox News aired a segment on the topic Wednesday night.
“I have asked Secretary of State @MikePompeo4USA to closely study the South Africa land and farm seizures and expropriations and the large scale killing of farmers,” Trump wrote on Twitter, before referencing a segment by Tucker Carlson on the cable news network.
I have asked Secretary of State @MikePompeo4USA to closely study the South Africa land and farm seizures and expropriations and the large scale killing of farmers. “South African Government is now seizing land from white farmers.” @TuckerCarlson @FoxNews
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 23, 2018
The State Department did not immediately respond to the Washington Examiner‘s request for comment.
Trump’s tweet follows ongoing debate in South Africa regarding a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow the government to seize land without compensation in order to address unequal ownership after British colonial rule and apartheid policies, according to the BBC.
Agri SA published a report in 2017 that found white farmers own almost three-quarters of land able to be used for agricultural purposes, creating a fissures in the nation along race and class.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa tried to appease concerns the ensuing reforms would weaken individual property rights and risk investments, telling his country’s parliament Wednesday that he believes it can be “a very positive process,” Bloomberg reported.
Carlson described the land expropriations as being based on having “the wrong skin color.”
“That is literally the definition of racism,” he said.
Carlson also slammed a State Department comment on the issue, which said the foreign service was aware of the reports and had been watching developments closely for some time.
“President Ramaphosa has pledged that the land reform process will follow the rule of law and its implementation will not adversely affect economic growth, agricultural production, or food security,” State said.
