US President Donald Trump has declared that South Africa should be expelled from the G20 and announced that he will not attend the group’s upcoming summit in Johannesburg later this month.
Speaking at the American Business Forum in Miami on Wednesday, Trump said the country ‘shouldn’t even be in the G’s anymore, because what’s happened there is bad.’ He added: ‘I’m not going … I’m not going to represent our country there. It shouldn’t be there.’
The G20 summit, hosted by South Africa on November 22–23, is expected to bring together the world’s major economies to discuss global growth, trade and financial stability. In Trump’s absence, Vice President J.D. Vance is set to represent the United States.
‘Massive human rights violation’ claims
Trump has long criticised the South African government, accusing it of seizing land and mistreating what he described as ‘certain classes of people very badly’. He called the situation ‘a massive human rights violation’, echoing earlier comments he made during his first term in office.
In February, Trump signed Executive Order 14204, directing federal agencies to prioritise the resettlement of white South African Afrikaners in the United States, describing them as ‘victims of unjust racial discrimination’. The order also instructed the reduction of US development assistance to Pretoria.
Pretoria rejects Trump’s accusations
The South African government swiftly rejected Trump’s remarks, calling them misleading and unfounded. In a statement carried by national broadcaster SABC, Pretoria said his claims ‘rest on a premise that is factually inaccurate’ and reiterated that land reform policies are designed to address apartheid-era inequalities through lawful and constitutional means.
Officials added that South Africa remains a full member of the G20 and will continue to engage constructively on issues of global governance and economic inclusion.
The G20 summit in Johannesburg will be the first hosted by South Africa since joining the bloc in 2010. Despite Trump’s absence, diplomatic observers say Washington’s presence through Vice President Vance signals that the United States still intends to maintain a voice in the group’s discussions, even amid deepening tensions with Pretoria.
