South Africa calls US G20 exclusion ‘regrettable’ after Trump’s visa threat

South Africa calls US G20 exclusion 'regrettable' after Trump's visa threat

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has condemned as "regrettable" the decision by US President Donald Trump to bar South Africa from attending the 2026 G20 summit in Miami, citing a dispute over the handover of the group's rotating presidency.

In a Truth Social post on Wednesday, Trump accused South Africa of failing to formally transfer the G20 presidency to a US Embassy representative during last week's summit in Johannesburg. He declared that "at my direction, South Africa will NOT be receiving an invitation to the 2026 G20" and announced an immediate halt to "all payments and subsidies" to the country.

Disputed handover sparks diplomatic row

Ramaphosa's office countered that the handover had occurred "duly" at South Africa's Department of International Relations and Cooperation, where G20 instruments were transferred to a US Embassy official. The US delegation had boycotted the Johannesburg summit, which Trump skipped over long-debunked claims of a "white genocide" in South Africa.

The US president reiterated those allegations on Wednesday, asserting without evidence that the South African government was "killing white people and randomly allowing their farms to be taken from them." Pretoria has repeatedly dismissed such claims as baseless.

"Despite our efforts to reset relations with the United States, President Trump continues to apply punitive measures against South Africa based on misinformation and distortions about our country."

President Cyril Ramaphosa

G20 summit ends with joint climate pledge despite US objections

The Johannesburg summit-the first G20 gathering held in Africa-concluded with a joint declaration on climate change mitigation and economic inequality, despite US objections. Washington had accused South Africa of "weaponising" its 2025 presidency, though the final communiqué was adopted unanimously.

South African officials are now rallying support from other G20 members to defend the group's integrity and the rights of all participants. While G20 members typically attend summits without formal invitations, visa restrictions could effectively block South Africa's delegation next year.

Background: Trump's long-standing criticism

Trump's latest move follows years of hostility toward South Africa's government, including:

• Repeated false claims of a "white genocide" targeting the country's minority population.
• Criticism of Pretoria's foreign policy, including its stance on the Israel-Gaza conflict.
• Accusations that South Africa has used its G20 leadership to advance an "anti-Western" agenda.

The White House has not yet commented on whether other African nations or allies might face similar restrictions.