CNN anchor Abby Phillip and Republican analyst Scott Jennings went at it over President Donald Trump’s Oval Office rant about “genocide” in South Africa, with Phillips asking a pointed and cutting question.
President Trump and Elon Musk have been pushing the absurd claim that White South African “Afrikaners” are victims of “genocide” as a way to justify accepting them as refugees while turning away other groups.
When Trump and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa held a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office Wednesday, things quickly descended into chaos as Trump attacked a reporter for asking about the refugee policy — and then it got really uncomfortable. Trump had the lights dimmed so he could force Ramaphosa to watch a White Genocide propaganda video, then bitterly argued with him about it.
On Wednesday night’s edition of CNN NewsNight, Phillips joined Jennings and fellow panelists Elise Labott, Charles Blow, Ashley Allison, Shermichael Singleton, and Tara Palmeri to discuss the extraordinary scene.
As Jennings defended the idea that White farmers are being targeted, Phillip cited the lack of supporting data and eventually asked him, “Why are you only concerned about White people?”:
ABBY PHILLIP: This is straight out of the conspiracy land of the far right, and it is not based in fact. And it’s amazing that this has actually become the foreign policy of the United States based on just straight up — I mean, we have the numbers. It
is completely unsubstantiated.I mean, Scott –SCOTT JENNINGS: You’re saying it’s not true that some White farmers have been murdered.PHILLIP: No, it’s not true that there is a genocide against White farmers.JENNINGS: Okay? Whatever you call it, have White farmers been murdered?PHILLIP: Actually, how many –JENNINGS: Have violence been committed against White farmers?PHILLIP: How many White farmers — hold on a second. How many White farmers have been murdered in South Africa?JENNINGS: I don’t know, several. I mean, they asked –PHILLIP: No. No. How many? How many?JENNINGS: I don’t know. Several.PHILLIP: I know why you don’t know? Because those numbers don’t exist broken down by race.I mean, wouldn’t trust the South African government to tell me. I know that.PHILLIP: How many Black farmers have been murdered in South Africa?JENNINGS: Look, you guys are so triggered over 59 people.PHILLIP: No, I’m not –JENNINGS: After we left 20 million people in the country, I don’t know why you’re so triggered by it.PHILLIP: I haven’t even brought up the people, the White people that Trump picked out because they were White and told them they could come to the country.JENNINGS: How much racial (INAUDIBLE) are you condoning?PHILLIP: There are 19,000 murderers in South Africa, 36 were on farms. 7 ofthe were victims farmers, okay? This is according to the South African police.JENNINGS: And you think the South African government is a credible source?PHILLIP: The other 29 — hold on a second. The 29 victims who were included in the farm killings were farm employees who tend to be Black. So, the vast majority of people killed on farms in South Africa are Black. Where is the concern about them?JENNINGS: The concern is that there are White farmers who have had violence committed against them, and they’re being threatened every single day.PHILLIP: But, Scott –JENNINGS: There’s 59 people.PHILLIP: But, Scott, hold on a second.JENNINGS: And you’re triggered about 59 people, and I don’t know why.PHILLIP: I haven’t mentioned anything about 59 people –(CROSSTALKS)PHILLIP: Why are you only concerned about White people?JENNINGS: I’m only concerned about this story because these 59 people asked for status. They’re getting status, and now everybody’s freaking out about it.PHILLIP: They didn’t ask for anything.ELISE LABOTT: There’s no evidence that White people have been targeted. Some White people in the larger issue of farmers, in the larger issue of violence, have been part of this violence. But there is no –JENNINGS: Then why are they trying to get out? Why are they — if there’s no –LABOTT: Scott, themajority –JENNINGS: Why are they trying to leave?LABOTT: The majority of –JENNINGS: Have you seen the videos of the people saying, kill the White farmers?LABOTT: — Afrikaners do not want to leave.JENNINGS: Yes. What do you think the phrase, kill the White farmers, means?LABOTT: Yes, that’s a phrase that was against the anti-apartheid movement, but the ANC, who’s ruling the government, the president’s government, has disavowed that phrase, he’s disavowed the songs, and there’s no evidence that White people are being targeted. And a majority of Afrikaners do not want to leave.PHILLIP: They’re not a part of the government, Scott. You’re taking a fringe movement won and you’re trying to make it a characteristic –(CROSSTALKS)CHARLES BLOW: It is the height of racism to say that White people have to be exempted from all violence in any society. That is what is being said here
Watch above via CNN NewsNight.