President Donald Trump has announced that South Africa will not be invited to the 2026 Group of 20 summit in the United States, escalating tensions that began when the United States boycotted this year’s gathering in Johannesburg. The president has repeatedly argued—without evidence—that white South Africans are facing widespread persecution and land seizures, a claim the South African government has consistently rejected.
Trump’s declaration followed the 2025 summit, the first G20 meeting held in Africa. As the United States did not attend the summit, the instruments of the G20 Presidency were formally handed over to the U.S. Embassy official at South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation. South Africa declined to hand the gavel directly to the U.S. Chargé d’Affaires, citing protocol, but the transfer was completed in a ceremonial capacity.
In a social media post outlining his position, Trump repeated his assertion that Afrikaners and other white residents of South Africa face “horrific Human Right Abuses” and accused the South African government of failing to address what he described as ongoing violence and farm seizures. “South Africa will NOT be receiving an invitation to the 2026 G20,” he wrote, announcing that the summit would take place near Miami. He also declared that the United States would halt “all payments and subsidies” to South Africa, though most U.S. assistance had already been suspended earlier in his administration.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa pushed back, calling Trump’s comments “regrettable” and affirming South Africa’s standing within the G20. He highlighted that member nations broadly praised the Johannesburg summit and reaffirmed the importance of multilateral cooperation. Ramaphosa noted that the United States chose not to attend the summit “out of its own volition” and emphasized that South Africa “does not appreciate insults from another country about its membership and worth.”
Despite attempts this year by South African officials to repair relations with the U.S., Ramaphosa remarked that punitive actions based on misinformation continue to strain bilateral ties. South Africa, a founding member of the G20, maintains that its participation is supported by all other members and confirmed that it will remain an active participant in the forum.
