John Eligon

Now, in reality, the law is not that aggressive. What do you mean? It's meant for the government to take land in the public interest. So one government minister said it was akin to eminent domain in the U.S., And most legal experts say that this would be very rare that they would take without compensation.

Now, in reality, the law is not that aggressive. What do you mean? It's meant for the government to take land in the public interest. So one government minister said it was akin to eminent domain in the U.S., And most legal experts say that this would be very rare that they would take without compensation.

It would most likely be in cases where there's land just sitting there in disrepair, where the owner's not doing anything to take care of it, the owner's abandoned it, and it's just, you know, lying fallow, right?

It would most likely be in cases where there's land just sitting there in disrepair, where the owner's not doing anything to take care of it, the owner's abandoned it, and it's just, you know, lying fallow, right?

They'd say that's sort of the most sensible case in which it would happen, and that this would not be something that would be used to go after Afrikaners and push them off their land and get Black people land ownership. But... When Trump hears about this law, he talks about it in ways that don't have any of that nuance.

They'd say that's sort of the most sensible case in which it would happen, and that this would not be something that would be used to go after Afrikaners and push them off their land and get Black people land ownership. But... When Trump hears about this law, he talks about it in ways that don't have any of that nuance.

He talks to reporters saying that in South Africa they're doing terrible things.

He talks to reporters saying that in South Africa they're doing terrible things.

And those statements just really send the whole Trump orbit into overdrive against South Africa.

And those statements just really send the whole Trump orbit into overdrive against South Africa.

Elon Musk, who's one of Trump's close advisors, who is from South Africa, you have him posting on social media about this land law and then asking the government openly, like, why do you have racist laws?

Elon Musk, who's one of Trump's close advisors, who is from South Africa, you have him posting on social media about this land law and then asking the government openly, like, why do you have racist laws?

Marco Rubio, the Secretary of State, turning down an invitation to go to a G20 meeting in South Africa, you know, citing this law. And then it ultimately sort of like peaks in this moment in February. Yeah. Where you had Trump issue an executive order that cut all aid that the U.S.

Marco Rubio, the Secretary of State, turning down an invitation to go to a G20 meeting in South Africa, you know, citing this law. And then it ultimately sort of like peaks in this moment in February. Yeah. Where you had Trump issue an executive order that cut all aid that the U.S.

Wow. And then he said he was offering refugee status to Afrikaners. And he cites this land law as one of the reasons.

Wow. And then he said he was offering refugee status to Afrikaners. And he cites this land law as one of the reasons.

And in his executive order, he says that the land law, quote, follows countless government policies designed to dismantle equal opportunity in employment, education and business and hateful rhetoric and government actions fueling disproportionate violence against racially disfavored landowners.

And in his executive order, he says that the land law, quote, follows countless government policies designed to dismantle equal opportunity in employment, education and business and hateful rhetoric and government actions fueling disproportionate violence against racially disfavored landowners.

By which he means white Afrikaners.

By which he means white Afrikaners.