President Donald Trump announced that South Africa will not be invited to the 2026 G20 summit in Miami, following the U.S. boycott of the recent summit held in Johannesburg. Trump criticized South Africa for allegedly failing to transfer the G20 presidency to a senior U.S. official during the closing ceremony, labeling this act a “total disgrace.” He further accused South Africa of violence against white farmers, claims that have been widely disputed and debunked. As a consequence, Trump declared a halt to all U.S. payments and subsidies to South Africa, effective immediately.
The Johannesburg summit, which was the first G20 meeting hosted in Africa, concluded without U.S. participation, focusing instead on issues like climate change and global inequality. The absence of the U.S. delegation highlighted a significant diplomatic rift between the countries. The South African government has not yet issued a response to either Trump’s announcement or the boycott.
In a related context, the U.S. has adjusted its refugee policy to prioritize white South Africans, recently accepting a group of 59 individuals, aligning with Trump’s claims of persecution against Afrikaners that have been widely discredited. This shift in policy has also gone unaddressed by South African officials.
The escalating diplomatic tensions have raised concerns about future international cooperation within the G20 framework. Excluding South Africa from the 2026 summit is unprecedented and signifies an increasing divide between the two nations, prompting observers to monitor the situation closely for potential impacts on global economic and political dynamics.
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