US President Donald Trump has announced he will not attend the upcoming G20 Summit in Johannesburg, calling for South Africa’s removal from the influential global economic group. Speaking at the American Business Forum in Miami, Trump said the nation “shouldn’t even be in the Gs anymore,” reigniting controversy over Washington’s relationship with Africa’s most industrialized economy.
Justification for the Boycott
Trump cited ongoing disputes over South Africa’s land reform policy and alleged mistreatment of the white minority population as key reasons for his decision.
“I’m not going. I’m not going to represent our country there. It shouldn’t be there,”
he told business leaders on Wednesday, referring to the summit scheduled for November 22–23.
Earlier this year, Trump signed an executive order offering refugee status to white South African Afrikaners after President Cyril Ramaphosa approved a law allowing limited land expropriation without compensation — a move aimed at correcting apartheid-era imbalances. The White House has since accused South Africa of “failing to protect property rights” and “violating human rights standards.”
South Africa’s Response
Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya dismissed the criticism, expressing confidence that the G20 — the first to be hosted on African soil — would proceed successfully.
“South Africa will host a very successful G20 Summit when leaders of the world’s largest economies gather in Johannesburg later this month,”
he told the BBC.
The South African foreign ministry also rebuffed Trump’s comments as “baseless,” emphasizing that claims of a “white genocide” have been widely discredited by official crime data.
“Drawing on our journey from racial and ethnic division to democracy, South Africa is uniquely positioned to champion within the G20 a future of solidarity and sustainability,”
said ministry spokesperson Chrispin Phiri.
Diplomatic and Economic Fallout
Analysts warn that Trump’s absence could send mixed signals about US engagement in African diplomacy. The Johannesburg summit — themed “Solidarity, Equality, and Sustainability” — was set to be a milestone for African global representation. Experts say the boycott undermines that symbolism and risks reinforcing narratives of Western disengagement from African multilateral spaces.
Dr. Andrew Gawthorpe of the UK-based Foreign Policy Centre noted there is no formal mechanism to remove a country from the G20.
“There’s no written rulebook for kicking a nation out — it would require a collective agreement, not just one leader’s opinion,”
he explained.
The Bigger Picture
While Trump is sending Vice-President JD Vance in his place, critics argue the move is a diplomatic setback that could further strain US–Africa relations. The decision also comes as South Africa faces steep US tariffs on exports — up to 30%, the highest in sub-Saharan Africa.
For Africa and its diaspora, Trump’s decision rekindles questions of inclusion and equality in global governance. As the continent prepares to host its first-ever G20, the absence of a key participant casts a shadow over what was meant to be a historic moment for African representation in world affairs.
