Misinformation channels to the Oval Office

Enlarge this image WASHINGTON, DC – MAY 21: President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa meets with U.S. President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House on May 21, 2025 in Washington, DC. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images WASHINGTON, DC – MAY 21: President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa meets with U.S. President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House on May 21, 2025 in Washington, DC. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images President Trump’s spreading of the false claim that South Africa is perpetrating a genocide against its white inhabitants is just the latest example of misinformation making its way from corners of the internet into presidential statements or even policy. This isn’t the first time that a falsehood that began on the fringes of the right-wing made its way to the Trump White House. NPR’s Scott Detrow and Lisa Hagen examine how these beliefs have been able to reach the Oval Office. For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.Email us at [email protected]. Sponsor Message