By Ayomide Otitoju
President Donald Trump has announced that no U.S. officials will attend the upcoming G20 summit in South Africa, citing unsubstantiated claims that white Afrikaners are being “killed and slaughtered” in the country.
Trump, who earlier said Vice President JD Vance would represent the U.S. at the meeting later this month, reversed the decision on his Truth Social platform, calling the summit’s location “a total disgrace.”
“No U.S. Government Official will attend as long as these human rights abuses continue,” Trump wrote, reiterating long-debunked allegations that Afrikaners are victims of systemic violence and land seizures.
The South African foreign ministry condemned Trump’s remarks as “regrettable,” saying the claims were “not substantiated by fact.” It reaffirmed the country’s readiness to host a “successful” summit on November 22–23 under the theme “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability.”
“The characterization of Afrikaners as an exclusively white group is ahistorical,” the ministry added. “South Africa’s focus remains on its positive global contributions and its commitment to solidarity through shared democratic values.”
Trump, who will host the 2026 G20 summit at his own Miami golf resort, has repeatedly targeted South Africa since returning to the White House in January. Earlier this year, he confronted President Cyril Ramaphosa in the Oval Office with a video alleging government-backed attacks on white farmers—claims the South African government has firmly denied.
Tensions between Washington and Pretoria have deepened over issues such as South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice and Trump’s decision to impose 30 percent tariffs on South African imports — the highest in sub-Saharan Africa.
Last week, Trump’s administration also announced plans to slash the annual U.S. refugee quota to 7,500, with a controversial proposal to prioritize white South African applicants.
