Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
Former President Donald Trump announced that the United States will boycott the upcoming G20 summit in South Africa, scheduled for November 22-23, citing what he described as “the mistreatment of white farmers” in the country.
In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump criticized the choice of South Africa as host, stating, “It is a shame that the G20 summit is being held in South Africa,” and asserting that the U.S. would not participate as long as what he termed human rights violations continued. Speaking at an economic event in Miami, he added that South Africa “should not even be part of the G20” and called the situation there “unworthy of a major economy.”
According to Reuters, U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance, who had been scheduled to represent Washington at the summit, will also not attend and has no immediate plans for foreign travel.
Trump’s allegations are part of a broader pattern of criticism toward Pretoria since his return to the political scene in January. He has repeatedly claimed that South Africa’s white minority is facing “organized killings” and “genocide,” accusing the government of failing to protect citizens of European descent.
Earlier this year, Trump met with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in Washington and presented video footage he said documented attacks on white farmers since the end of apartheid. Trump framed these incidents as evidence of the government’s failure to address racial discrimination. In a related move last week, the U.S. granted special priority for refugee resettlement to white South Africans, citing “urgent humanitarian concerns.”
South Africa swiftly rejected the allegations, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs calling Trump’s statements “regrettable” and emphasizing that the country has no policy targeting white citizens. In a formal statement, the ministry stressed that discussions of Afrikaners as an exclusively white group are historically inaccurate and that claims of persecution are unsupported by evidence. South Africa reiterated its commitment to hosting a successful G20 summit and highlighted its ongoing constructive role in international affairs.
The tensions between Washington and Pretoria have been further compounded by recent geopolitical disputes. South Africa filed a case at the International Court of Justice accusing Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, a move the Trump administration criticized as “unjustified hostility” toward a U.S. ally. Relations have also been strained by U.S. tariffs of 30 percent on South African imports.
Looking ahead, the United States is set to assume the G20 presidency following this year’s summit. Trump has indicated that the next summit could be held at his Miami golf resort, the same venue he proposed to host the 2020 G7 summit during his first term.
