Trump Says No US Official Will Attend G20 Summit in South Africa

Trump Says No US Official Will Attend G20 Summit in South Africa

President Donald Trump has announced that no US officials will attend the G20 summit in South Africa later this month, escalating his ongoing criticism of the host nation over its land policies and treatment of white farmers.

The G20 summit, scheduled for November 22–23 in Johannesburg, marks the first time the annual gathering of major world economies will take place on African soil. Until this week, Vice President JD Vance had been expected to represent the United States in Trump’s stead. However, in a statement shared on social media, Trump made clear that the US will boycott the meeting entirely.

The president cited what he described as human rights abuses and discrimination against South Africa’s white minority, particularly Afrikaner farmers. “Afrikaners are being killed and slaughtered, and their land and farms are being illegally confiscated,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “No US Government Official will attend as long as these human rights abuses continue.” The South African government has strongly denied such allegations.

Trump has repeatedly voiced his disapproval of South Africa’s place in the G20 over the past year, often accusing the country of systemic persecution of its white minority, a charge South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has rejected as “completely false.” Earlier this week, Trump even called for South Africa to be removed from the group of leading world economies.

The United States is due to assume the presidency of the G20 following this year’s summit and host the 2026 meeting in Miami, Florida. “I look forward to hosting the 2026 G20 in Miami, Florida,” Trump added in his message.

The decision draws criticism from parts of the international community, who warn that the move may disrupt coordinated efforts on global economic and security policies. The White House has not indicated any plans to reverse the boycott despite pushback from some US allies.