It began with an ambush.
Mid-way through the Oval Office meeting, surrounded by cameras, Donald Trump told his staff to dim the lights and play a video purportedly documenting the "persecution" of white South African farmers. Then, he brandished newspaper articles apparently pushing the discredited claims.
His guest, South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa, sat in awkward silence beside him, refusing to be drawn into the Trump show. Ramaphosa flatly rejects the fringe theories which are being amplified by Trump supporters including South African-born billionaire Elon Musk also standing in the room.