Citing grave concerns over the treatment of white Afrikaner farmers in South Africa, President Donald Trump has announced a complete US boycott of the G20 summit scheduled to be held in the country. Trump labeled the decision to host the summit in South Africa “a total disgrace,” emphasizing that the alleged violence, deaths, and land confiscation faced by these farmers are the driving force behind the US absence.
This decision means no US government officials will attend the crucial international forum. Vice President J.D. Vance, who was initially slated to represent the US, has also withdrawn his attendance, according to a source familiar with his itinerary.
The Trump administration has a history of criticizing South Africa’s policies, particularly concerning what it describes as the persecution of minority white farmers. In a notable move last year, the US administration indicated that a large share of its reduced refugee intake would be allocated to white South Africans, based on claims of discrimination and violence against them.
South African officials have expressed surprise and disagreement with these accusations. President Cyril Ramaphosa has reportedly assured President Trump directly that allegations of discrimination and persecution of Afrikaners are “entirely false.” The government maintains that white South Africans generally enjoy a superior standard of living decades after the apartheid era concluded.
Nevertheless, the US has not softened its position. President Trump recently proposed that South Africa should be removed from the G20 membership during an economic address.
This marks another instance of US officials skipping G20 engagements. Secretary of State Marco Rubio previously abstained from a foreign ministers’ meeting earlier this year, objecting to the summit’s focus on diversity, inclusion, and climate action.