President Donald Trump has indicated he might not attend the upcoming Group of 20 (G20) leaders’ summit scheduled for November in Johannesburg, South Africa. Instead, he suggested he may send a representative, citing long-standing grievances with the country’s policies.
“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 told reporters aboard Air Force One.
The U.S. president has been critical of both domestic and foreign positions taken by South Africa under President Cyril Ramaphosa. Among Trump’s top concerns is South Africa’s controversial land policy and its case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), in which it accuses the U.S. ally of committing genocide in Gaza.
Trump escalated tensions earlier this year when he signed an executive order in February cutting U.S. financial assistance to South Africa. During a White House meeting in May, he clashed with President Ramaphosa over claims of “white genocide” and “land seizures,” which have been widely dismissed as unfounded by international observers.
South Africa Hosts Historic G20 Presidency
South Africa, which currently holds the G20 presidency from December 2024 through November 2025, is preparing to host the G20 Leaders’ Summit from November 22 to 23 in Johannesburg. The event marks a historic moment as the first time an African nation will chair the global economic forum.
Under the leadership of President Ramaphosa, South Africa is working to amplify the voice of the Global South and prioritize African issues. The official summit theme, “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability,” sets the agenda with a focus on tackling hunger, climate change, and digital inclusion.
President Ramaphosa has urged Trump to participate in person, stressing that the G20 must act decisively to address global inequalities. He has rejected U.S. criticisms of South Africa’s land reform initiatives, denying that the policy amounts to arbitrary confiscation of white-owned land.
Ramaphosa’s administration has emphasized inclusive global cooperation and called on G20 members to take “bold action to ensure a fairer, greener future.” The summit will also address disaster preparedness, debt sustainability for low-income nations, and funding for a just energy transition.
Meanwhile, the diplomatic rift between Washington and Pretoria continues to grow. Trump is not the only U.S. official who has taken issue with South Africa’s leadership. Secretary of State Marco Rubio previously boycotted a G20 foreign ministers’ meeting in South Africa earlier this year, a move viewed as a protest against the country’s international stance.
The primary flashpoint has been South Africa’s genocide case against Israel. The ICJ case, filed in early 2024, alleges that Israel’s military operation in Gaza constitutes genocide, a claim the U.S. strongly opposes. Washington, both under Trump and former President Joe Biden, has denounced the case as baseless and politically motivated.
Israel’s military response in Gaza has left tens of thousands dead, displaced the entire population internally, and triggered widespread hunger, drawing international criticism and prompting war crimes investigations by the International Criminal Court (ICC). Israel has denied all accusations, defending its actions as legitimate retaliation for the October 2023 Hamas attack, which resulted in 1,200 Israeli deaths and over 250 hostages.
Adding to the tension are South Africa’s Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) policies, designed to correct the structural inequality stemming from apartheid. Trump’s administration has often expressed unease about these policies, viewing them as discriminatory and harmful to foreign investment.
Despite these issues, Ramaphosa has remained focused on making the upcoming G20 summit a platform for meaningful global change. He continues to advocate for multilateralism and a stronger voice for developing nations, even as key partners like the United States threaten to withhold participation.
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