President Trump provided detailed justification Friday for excluding South Africa from the 2026 G20 Summit in Miami. The extensive reasoning centered on allegations regarding the treatment of white farming communities.
Trump’s comprehensive social media post outlined what he describes as systematic persecution of Afrikaners and other descendants of European settlers in South Africa. The President’s statement included explicit claims about violence and property seizures targeting these populations. He accused the South African government of being complicit in these alleged abuses through deliberate inaction.
Last weekend’s G20 gathering in Johannesburg attracted numerous international leaders, with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi among the prominent attendees. However, the United States maintained a complete absence, with no official delegation present. The detailed justification for both the boycott and exclusion spans multiple alleged grievances.
The detailed reasoning continued when Trump accused South African authorities of mishandling the ceremonial transfer of G20 presidency to the United States. Despite having an embassy official present at the closing ceremony, Trump claimed the handover was improperly conducted. The South African government explained that they followed standard diplomatic procedures by completing the transfer at their international relations headquarters, given that no official US delegation attended the summit proper.
President Ramaphosa responded to the detailed justification while emphasizing his government’s ongoing commitment to diplomatic engagement. Trump’s assertions about persecution and genocide of white farmers represent claims that have been extensively scrutinized and consistently rejected by the South African government, white leadership within the country, and independent observers. The detailed justification has done little to resolve the factual disputes underlying the decision.