US to boycott G20 in South Africa, Trump says

November 8, 2025

President Donald Trump has announced that the United States will boycott the upcoming G20 summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, citing unsubstantiated allegations of persecution and genocide against white South Africans, particularly Afrikaners. The decision reverses an earlier plan to send Vice President JD Vance in Trump's place, with the White House now stating no American officials will attend the gathering of major economic powers. South Africa's foreign ministry has rejected these claims as factually incorrect and regrettable, noting that even South African political parties representing white communities deny any genocide is occurring.

Who is affected

President Donald Trump and the US government
South Africa's government and foreign ministry
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa
Afrikaners and white South African communities
G20 member nations and their leaders
Vice President JD Vance
The European Union and African Union representatives
White South Africans granted refugee status by the US

What action is being taken

The US is boycotting the G20 summit in South Africa
The White House has announced no US government officials will attend the summit
The Trump administration has given Afrikaners refugee status
South Africa is hosting the G20 summit in Johannesburg later this month
South Africa's foreign ministry is responding to the US decision with statements

Why it matters

This matters because it represents a significant diplomatic rupture between the United States and South Africa, with the US boycotting a major international economic forum based on claims that have been widely discredited by South African political parties, courts, and the South African government itself. The G20 brings together nations controlling over 85% of the world's wealth to address global economic stability and cooperation, so the absence of the United States—the world's largest economy—undermines the summit's effectiveness and signals a breakdown in multilateral engagement. The decision also damages US credibility on human rights issues when its actions are based on allegations rejected by factual evidence and legal proceedings.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC