Trump announces South Africa’s exclusion from 2026 G20 gathering
Posting on his Truth Social account, Trump explained why he did not attend this year's summit in South Africa, claiming the country declined "to acknowledge or address the horrific human rights abuses endured by Afrikaners and other descendants of Dutch, French and German settlers." He alleged that the South African government is "killing white people and randomly allowing their farms to be taken from them."
South African officials have repeatedly dismissed such claims, calling them "factually inaccurate."
Trump also criticized what he viewed as improper protocol during the 2025 G20, arguing that South Africa "refused to hand off the G20 Presidency to a senior representative from our U.S. Embassy." He declared the nation "will not be receiving an invitation" to next year’s gathering in Miami.
Escalating his remarks, Trump said South Africa has shown the world it is "not a country worthy of membership anywhere" and announced an immediate halt to "all payments and subsidies to them, effective immediately."
South Africa issued a formal response describing Trump’s comments as “regrettable.” The presidency’s office emphasized that the nation participates in the G20 based on its recognized status among the group’s members and reaffirmed that South Africa is a sovereign democratic state that rejects disparaging remarks about its legitimacy on global platforms. The statement reaffirmed South Africa’s intention to remain a full and constructive member of the G20.
Officials also clarified that since the US president did not attend the summit, the necessary G20 Presidency documents were handed to a US Embassy representative at the headquarters of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation. They urged G20 members “to reaffirm its continued operation in the spirit of multilateralism, based on consensus, with all members participating on an equal footing in all of its structures.”
Trump’s actions follow his issuance of Executive Order 14204 in February, which instructed federal agencies to facilitate the resettlement of white South African Afrikaners described as "victims of unjust racial discrimination," while also directing an end to US assistance for South Africa.
Tensions have also risen due to South Africa’s 2023 case against Israel—an ally of the US—at the International Court of Justice, accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza.
The South African presidency concluded its statement by saying, “It is regrettable that despite the efforts and numerous attempts by President (Cyril) Ramaphosa and his administration to reset the diplomatic relationship with the US, President Trump continues to apply punitive measures against South Africa based on misinformation and distortions about our country.”
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