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U.S. President Donald Trump announced that South Africa will not be invited to the 2026 G20 Leaders’ Summit in Miami, citing allegations of anti-white violence and Pretoria’s refusal to transfer the G20 presidency to a senior U.S. Embassy representative at the end of the Johannesburg summit.
Trump repeated earlier claims on his Truth Social platform, accusing the South African government of failing to prevent “violence against white people” and asserting the country “refused” to hand over the G20 chairmanship to the U.S. after Washington boycotted the summit.
He said South Africa is “not worthy of membership anywhere” and ordered that “all payments and subsidies” to the country be halted immediately.
In a sharply worded statement, South Africa’s presidency said it noted Trump’s announcement “with regret,” stressing that South Africa is a full and legitimate G20 member “in its own name and right” and participates based on the consensus of all other members.
Pretoria rejected Trump’s accusations as “factually inaccurate,” saying the country is a sovereign democratic state that “does not appreciate insults” from any nation regarding its role in global forums.
The government confirmed that due to the U.S. absence at the Johannesburg summit, the G20 presidency instruments were formally handed over to a U.S. Embassy official at the Department of International Relations and Cooperation.
South Africa reaffirmed its commitment to remaining a “full, active and constructive” member of the G20 and urged member states to uphold multilateralism and equal participation across all structures.
Relations between Washington and Pretoria have deteriorated over multiple issues, including South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice.
Trump previously issued an executive order directing U.S. agencies to support the resettlement of white South African Afrikaners, described as “victims of unjust racial discrimination,” while cutting U.S. assistance to South Africa.
The U.S. also boycotted the Johannesburg G20 summit, objecting to agenda items on climate change, clean energy financing and climate-related disaster preparedness.
Despite Washington’s objections, G20 leaders adopted the summit’s final communiqué during the first session.
At the end of the summit, South Africa did not conduct the traditional handover ceremony, citing the absence of U.S. leadership-level participation.
Trump’s declaration means South Africa will not be on the guest list for the 2026 G20 summit hosted in Florida.
He also reiterated his view that South Africa “is killing white people,” a claim repeatedly rejected by Pretoria.
South Africa said it will continue to work constructively within the G20 and criticized Trump’s approach as punitive and based on “misinformation and distortions.”
The country emphasized that it values the G20 as a key platform for international economic cooperation and will maintain its role as a founding and active member.
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