Trump says no U.S. government official will attend G20 summit in South Africa

Trump says no U.S. government official will attend G20 summit in South Africa
G20 Finance Ministers meeting in Cape Town, South Africa, 24 February, 2025
Reuters

President Donald Trump announced on Friday that no U.S. government official would attend the upcoming Group of 20 summit in South Africa later this month, citing what he described as "human rights abuses" occurring in the country.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump criticised the decision to hold the G20 in South Africa, claiming that Afrikaners (descendants of Dutch, French, and German settlers) were being "killed and slaughtered," with their land and farms being "illegally confiscated." He also accused the South African government of persecuting Afrikaners based on their race, a claim which has been denied by the South African government.

Trump stated, "No U.S. Government Official will attend as long as these Human Rights abuses continue," and added, "I look forward to hosting the 2026 G20 in Miami, Florida!"

Last month, Trump set a record low for U.S. refugee admissions, focusing mainly on white Afrikaners as those eligible for resettlement.

Vice President JD Vance, who was expected to attend the G20 summit in Johannesburg on November 22-23, will no longer be going, according to a source familiar with the matter.

South Africa's foreign ministry spokesperson did not immediately comment on the issue.

Trump has repeatedly criticised South Africa’s domestic and foreign policies, particularly its land policy and its stance on the Israel-Gaza conflict. Earlier this year, Secretary of State Marco Rubio also boycotted a G20 foreign ministers' meeting in South Africa.

South Africa holds the G20 presidency until November 2025, after which the United States will take over.

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