Updated: United States to boycott G20 leaders summit in South Africa

President Donald Trump said on Friday that no U.S. government official would attend the Group of 20 summit in South Africa later this month, because of what he said were “human rights abuses” taking place in the country.

South Africa’s foreign ministry described the decision as “regrettable” and repeated its rejection of Trump’s claims that white Afrikaners face persecution based on their race in the Black-majority country.

“It is a total disgrace that the G20 will be held in South Africa,” Trump said in a Truth Social post. “Afrikaners (People who are descended from Dutch settlers, and also French and German immigrants) are being killed and slaughtered, and their land and farms are being illegally confiscated.”

“No U.S. Government Official will attend as long as these Human Rights abuses continue. I look forward to hosting the 2026 G20 in Miami, Florida!” Trump said.

JD Vance will not now travel, sources say

Vice President JD Vance, who was expected to attend the Group of 20 world leaders in Johannesburg from 22-23 Novembers, was no longer going, a source familiar with the matter said.

Trump has taken issue with South African domestic and foreign policies – ranging from its land policy to its case accusing Israel of genocide in the U.S. ally’s war in Gaza.

The president last month set the lowest cap on record for U.S. refugee admissions and said those people admitted would be focused largely on white Afrikaners.

South Africa’s foreign ministry said it had taken note of Trump’s “regrettable” post on the platform, and reiterated Pretoria’s oft-stated rejection of the accusation that Afrikaners are subjected to oppression.

Claim not substantiated by fact

“The claim that this community faces persecution is not substantiated by fact,” the ministry said, adding that South Africa’s past of racial inequality gives it the experience to help the world tackle divisions through the G20 platform.

“Our nation is uniquely positioned to champion within the G20 a future of genuine solidarity,” it said, adding that it looked forward to hosting a successful summit.

Earlier this year, Secretary of State Marco Rubio also boycotted a G20 foreign ministers’ meeting in South Africa, which has the G20 presidency from December 2024 to November 2025.

The United States is set to take over the G20 presidency from South Africa.

Article updated to include the Department of International Relations and Cooperation’s comment.

• Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk and Bhargav Acharya in Toronto; Additional reporting by Olivia Kumwenda in Johannesburg; editing by Costas Pitas, Cynthia Osterman and Conor Humphries