On Wednesday, Donald Trump's AI and crypto czar, David Sacks, backed the President's high-profile confrontations with global leaders, praising his Oval Office exchange with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
What Happened: In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Sacks shared a video of the exchange, saying, "There is literally nothing better than President Trump calling out foreign leaders at the White House."
"Zelensky didn't have the cards. Ramaphosa is playing dumb about genocide. President Trump brings the receipts," he added.
See Also: Dan Ives Calls Tesla's Austin Robotaxi Launch A ‘Watershed Moment,' Maintains Bullish Views On Tesla
Trump confronted Ramaphosa over allegations of violence against white farmers in South Africa. He showed a video of Black politicians allegedly chanting anti-apartheid slogans, ending with imagery of white crosses, which he claimed represented murdered white farmers.
Ramaphosa questioned the credibility of the video, while Afrikaner billionaire Johann Rupert, present at the meeting, pointed out that violence affects all South Africans, not just white farmers.
A footage from the meeting showing Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk intensely watching Ramaphosa has also quickly gone viral.
Why It's Important: Sacks, a South Africa-born tech investor and former PayPal Holdings Inc. PYPL executive, was appointed Trump's AI and crypto czar in December 2024. He holds dual citizenship in the U.S. and South Africa.
Musk, who was also born in South Africa, holds citizenship from South Africa, the U.S. and Canada.
Earlier this year, during an Oval Office meeting, Trump also criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for not showing appreciation and accused him of lacking readiness for peace negotiations.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, it was also reported that South Africa may offer Musk a regulatory workaround for Starlink as a diplomatic gesture. South African officials were reportedly scheduled to meet Musk or his team on Tuesday night to ease tensions before Ramaphosa's White House visit.
Photo Courtesy: Alexandros Michailidis On Shutterstock.com
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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