1. United States
2. Minn.
3. Letter

I write to you today to express deep concern about Donald Trump's repeated attempts to manufacture crises in order to bypass democratic norms and push forward his political agenda. One of his most recent examples is his baseless and inflammatory claim that a "genocide" is occurring in South Africa targeting white farmers. This claim has been thoroughly debunked by human rights organizations, international observers, and South Africa's own government. It is a lie — not a misunderstanding, not a misstatement, but a deliberate falsehood designed to stoke racial division and fear. The real harm lies not only in the spread of misinformation but in the motive behind it: creating the illusion of chaos abroad to justify extreme or undemocratic actions at home. This pattern is not new. Trump has repeatedly used fear-based narratives — from "migrant caravans" to "American carnage" — to justify executive overreach and deflect from pressing domestic issues. Now, with this false claim about South Africa, he continues this dangerous strategy of manufacturing crises to build support for authoritarian-style policy shifts without going through the proper legislative process. As elected representatives sworn to uphold the Constitution and defend truth, it is your duty to call out these lies and prevent any executive overreach based on such fabricated pretexts. Our democracy depends on informed debate and legislative action grounded in fact — not fear. I urge you to publicly denounce Trump’s false claims about South Africa, push for accountability, and resist any policies proposed under the guise of imaginary emergencies. Our foreign policy, our immigration laws, and our national discourse must be shaped by reality and human dignity — not conspiracy theories and racial dog whistles.