The Trump administration on Monday welcomed Afrikaner refugees from South Africa, who were notably and proudly waving African flags. As Matt covered, though, the left collectively freaked out, given that they didn't take too lightly to these refugees being white. CNN was in particular one of the worst offenders. The panel discussion on "CNN NewsNight with Abby Phillip" was especially noteworthy.
From guest host Sarah Sidner, to co-panelists such as Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA) and Ashley Allison, the narratives were certainly alarming. Fortunately, Scott Jennings was also part of the panel discussion to offer a more sane take.
Sidner began the segment, one of the last on the program, with a particularly biased take. It turned out to be a preview of what was to come. "Tonight, special treatment. As the Trump administration closes the door on asylum seekers from around the world, a flight carrying dozens of white South Africans who were granted refugee status landed in Virginia today. The White House moved to expedite the processing of Afrikaners as refugees over alleged discrimination. Donald Trump is claiming it is a genocide," she said.
As Sidner played a clip of President Donald Trump's exchange with a reporter, in which the president expressed concern about "a genocide," Sidner, with a straight face, claimed that the South African president was claiming otherwise. She then let that be the segue for the full panel discussion.
Well, the South African President is lying https://t.co/QtH6ZM4xzq
— Katie Pavlich (@KatiePavlich) May 13, 2025
Early on in the discussion, Jennings reminded that "the law there absolutely allows their property to be confiscated" when it comes to these South Africans, who "are subject to racial discrimination," with some having even "been subject to violence." He also offered another crucial reminder about what the previous Biden-Harris administration allowed when it comes to immigration.
"I mean, we're talking about 50 something people, and the people who seem to be angriest about this today had no problem with 20 million coming here," Jennings pointed out. "Some of the worst people in the world coming here, including gang members and, so on and so forth. So, I don't have a lot of sympathy for the folks who are outraged today after what happened to this country over the last several years, over 50 something people, who are clearly being discriminated against in South Africa." Jennings would later get into it about illegal immigration with Moulton in another part of the segment worth watching, especially when it comes to an issue where Jennings has shared his strong thoughts before.
At Sidner's prompting, Allison then launched into a lecture about "the history of South Africa," which even led her to praising South Africa in contrast to the United States, where she herself live and where these Afrikaners have fled to.
"And so, 35--30 plus years ago, they went through a--the apartheid system ended. And they reformed their constitution under the great leader of Nelson Mandela, and that allowed for a racial reconciliation, one that this country has yet to do," Allison shared.
CNN Analyst: South Africa "allowed for a racial reconciliation, one that this country has yet to do." pic.twitter.com/dqiBxpmJTN
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) May 13, 2025
"But South Africa did it, and they reformed their constitution. And part of that is that the people who are native to that land deserve their rightful land back. That is not what the Afrikaners actually want to have happen, which are the white Africans. And so, who are not originally from Africa, who colonized South Africa also. And so, that is what they are saying is discrimination," Allison continued, all while Jennings sat there, listening patiently. "Now, if the constitution in South Africa is discriminatory, they have their checks and balances in that land just like we do and that is for them to--so if the Afrikaners don't actually like the land, they can leave that country," she actually said with a straight face.
"They are. They're leaving to come here," Jennings reminded her, which Allison immediately took issue with. "They can actually even go to where their native land is, which is probably Germany," she offered, which is not even accurate. If she were talking about the ancestors of many of the young people who recently arrived to the United States, she'd be referring to Holland, as co-panelist Ana Navarro had to remind her. Navarro, in typical fashion for her, later during the panel discussion went on to rant and rave about Elon Musk and Trump.
Jennings tried repeatedly to ask Allison if was "against" Afrikaners coming to the United States, but she refused to answer, at one point trying to offer that she's "against the hypocrisy of this administration," though Jennings wouldn't have that. She then spoke of refugees she is okay with, such as those from Sudan and the Congo, where she is willing to say there's a genocide happening, as well as Venezuela and other countries in South Africa.
During the heated crosstalk, Allison brought up the same point that Sidner did to start the segment, which is claims about "special treatment."
"What I am against is that they are being given special treatment when there is not a genocide happening in South Africa, and they just don't like the law of the land. You know what they tell people," Allison offered, as Jennings reminded her yet again that "there's been violence."
🚨Scott Jennings sits and listens patiently as CNN Panelist Ashley Allison stutters through her understanding of "the history of South Africa."
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) May 13, 2025
"That allowed for a racial reconciliation — one that this country has yet to do."
"The people who are native to that land deserve… pic.twitter.com/BHngFEwynD
Talk of genocide would come up several times throughout the panel discussion. Later on, Moulton and Sidner appeared to even try to downplay the violence against Afrikaners. "There's not a genocide in South Africa," the congressman claimed, as Allison could be heard enthusiastically concurring with a "that's right!" When another conservative co-panelist, Kevin O'Leary, did remind that he's "sure there's been violence," Sidner stepped in to try to correct him.
"There has been violence but that doesn't... Violence does not equal genocide. So, we need to be really, really clear about that," Sidner then lectured. As O'Leary chimed in to offer that "if you're the dead guy, you may not say that," she still pushed back as she sought to lecture him further on genocide. "No, I would say that, actually. Because if you look at what genocide is, it is very specific that you're trying to get rid of a people, a whole group of people," which does appear to be a concern for Afrikaners. "There is violence in South Africa. They've had a very big uptick in violence, but black people have seen the brunt of that violence... not just white Afrikaners," she said, going for that whatboutism.
Democrat Seth Moulton on CNN: There is not a genocide in South Africa.
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) May 13, 2025
CNN Host Sara Sidner: Violence does not equal genocide. pic.twitter.com/dL5ypAWm5K
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