US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he may skip the upcoming Group of 20 (G20) leaders’ summit in South Africa this November, citing deep disagreements with the country’s domestic and foreign policies. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said he was considering sending a representative in his place.
“I think maybe I’ll send somebody else because I’ve had a lot of problems with South Africa. They have some very bad policies,” Trump said.
His remarks reflect escalating diplomatic tension between Washington and Pretoria, particularly since South Africa filed a genocide case against Israel—America’s key ally—at the International Court of Justice over the war in Gaza. Trump has criticised the case as politically motivated and has previously defended Israel’s military actions, framing them as a justified response to the Hamas-led attacks of October 2023.
South Africa currently holds the rotating G20 presidency, from December 2024 to November 2025. While Trump’s administration has clashed with South Africa on multiple fronts—including its Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) policies, land reform proposals, and foreign policy stance on Israel—this would mark the most direct snub of Pretoria’s leadership role on the global stage.
In February, Trump signed an executive order to cut US financial aid to South Africa, citing concerns over governance and its international posture. By May, tensions had intensified when Trump confronted South African President Cyril Ramaphosa during a White House meeting, echoing false claims of “white genocide” and forced land seizures—narratives widely discredited by international observers.
Ramaphosa has since dismissed Washington’s claims as unfounded, defending South Africa’s land reform and BEE programmes as necessary measures to correct historical racial injustices. He has also publicly urged Trump to attend the G20 summit, warning that a boycott would risk further straining ties.
Earlier this year, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio boycotted a G20 foreign ministers’ meeting hosted in South Africa, a move that signalled mounting diplomatic frostiness.
Washington’s frustration extends back to the previous administration of President Joe Biden, which also criticised South Africa’s legal challenge at the World Court, arguing it undermines shared democratic and human rights goals.
The upcoming G20 summit is expected to focus on global economic recovery, climate change, and geopolitical stability. Trump’s possible absence could complicate consensus-building efforts and signal growing divisions within the group’s major economies.
Melissa Enoch
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