Goa, May 22 -- A high-stakes meeting at the White House on Wednesday turned contentious as U.S. President Donald Trump directly confronted South African President Cyril Ramaphosa with controversial and unfounded claims of violence and land seizures targeting white citizens in South Africa-a narrative South Africa has repeatedly refuted.

The Oval Office encounter, initially framed as a diplomatic effort to reset strained relations, quickly escalated when Trump presented videos and printed articles to support his assertion that white South Africans were facing systematic persecution, including so-called "land confiscations" and targeted killings.

"People are fleeing South Africa for their own safety. Their land is being confiscated, and i...