Washington:
In a significant diplomatic move, the United States has announced a full boycott of the upcoming G20 summit scheduled for November 22-23 in Johannesburg, South Africa. President Donald Trump stated that no U.S. government official will attend the premier forum for global economic cooperation, citing his disapproval of the treatment of white farmers in the host country.
The decision, which was confirmed just as the summit approaches, follows Trump’s earlier announcement that he would not attend personally. It has now been extended to include the cancellation of Vice President JD Vance’s planned visit.
Trump’s Accusations and South Africa’s Rebuttal
Expressing his concerns on a social media platform, President Trump called it “completely unacceptable” that the G20 was being held in South Africa. He accused the South African government of engaging in “mistreatment” of white Africans, including land seizures and violent attacks.
This is not the first time the Trump administration has criticized South Africa on this issue. Earlier this year, the administration announced it would prioritize white South Africans for refugee status, alongside a massive cut to its annual refugee intake. U.S. officials have repeatedly accused the South African government of fostering discrimination and violence against the minority white farming community.
South African authorities have firmly rejected these claims. Officials stated that more than 30 years after the end of apartheid, white citizens generally still live better lives than the majority Black South Africans. President Cyril Ramaphosa provided a clarification, telling Trump that reports of systematic persecution of white farmers are “completely false.”
Broader Diplomatic Friction
The boycott of the leaders’ summit is part of a broader pattern of diplomatic friction. Earlier this year in February, Secretary of State Marco Rubio boycotted a meeting of G20 foreign ministers.
Furthermore, President Trump has gone beyond a simple boycott, previously demanding that South Africa be removed from the G20 altogether. He reiterated this stance in a recent speech in Miami, stating that South Africa “should be removed from the G20.”
The U.S. absence is set to cast a shadow over the summit, which is designed to foster international cooperation on pressing global economic and political issues.
