Trump blocks South Africa from 2026 G20 summit for alleged ‘horrific human rights abuses’
In a significant diplomatic move, former President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that South Africa will not receive an invitation to the 2026 G-20 summit, which is set to take place in Miami, Florida. Trump cited “horrific human rights abuses” as the rationale behind this decision, making controversial claims about violence against white farmers and land seizures in South Africa. In a post on Truth Social, he stated, “To put it more bluntly, they are killing white people and randomly allowing their farms to be taken from them.” This announcement marks a notable departure from the G-20’s tradition of inclusivity, as South Africa is a founding member of the group and has participated in its summits since the organization’s inception.
The reaction from South African officials has been swift, with Clayson Monyela, head of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, dismissing Trump’s assertions. He emphasized that the G-20 is not merely an invitation-based gathering but a forum for its member nations, warning that excluding South Africa could lead to a boycott by other nations. Monyela’s statements reflect concerns that such a move could undermine the G-20’s effectiveness and cohesion as a platform for global economic dialogue. The implications of Trump’s decision are significant, as it could set a precedent for the exclusion of member countries based on political disagreements, which would be a departure from the G-20’s longstanding principles.
This latest escalation in U.S.-South Africa relations follows a series of tensions between Trump and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. Earlier this year, Trump suspended U.S. aid to South Africa, alleging discrimination against white farmers, and relations further soured when the U.S. expelled the South African ambassador. The two leaders have engaged in heated exchanges, with Ramaphosa pushing back against Trump’s claims of violence targeting white Afrikaners. As the 2026 G-20 summit approaches, the future of U.S.-South Africa relations remains uncertain, with Trump’s recent statements underscoring a growing rift that could have lasting effects on diplomatic engagement and economic cooperation between the two nations.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vER4xE4Tf-s
President
Donald Trump
said Wednesday that he would not invite South Africa to the 2026 G-20 summit in Florida, citing alleged “horrific human rights abuses.”
“To put it more bluntly, they are killing white people and randomly allowing their farms to be taken from them,” Trump alleged in a Truth Social post. “At my direction, South Africa will NOT be receiving an invitation to the 2026 G-20, which will be hosted in the Great City of Miami, Florida next year,” he added.
TRUMP PICKS HIS MIAMI DORAL RESORT TO HOST 2026 G20 SUMMIT IN FLORIDA DURING NATION’S ANNIVERSARY YEAR
The Embassy of South Africa did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Clayson Monyela, head of diplomacy for the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, dismissed the notion that South Africa could be shut out.
“South Africa is a founding member of the G-20. We don’t get invited to G-20 meetings and leaders summit. Those are gatherings of members. If other members allow this then the G-20 will die,” Monyela told Fox News Digital.
“Other countries have already told us that they too will boycott the U.S. G-20 if South Africa is excluded,” Monyela added.
If carried out, the move would break with more than two decades of precedent and mark the first time a member has been formally excluded from the gathering of the world’s major economies.
The G-20, which brings together major advanced and emerging economies and accounts for roughly 80% of global GDP and two-thirds of the world’s population, has historically operated on the principle of inclusion.
That tradition already was strained after the
U.S. boycott of the 2025 meeting
held in Johannesburg earlier in November.
The Trump administration argued that the country’s government had failed to address violence and discrimination it claimed was occurring in rural farming communities. Additionally, the U.S. objected to the meeting’s focus on climate and development issues rather than core economic priorities.
TRUMP ADMIN SLAMS SOUTH AFRICA FOR ‘WEAPONIZED’ G-20 PRESIDENCY AS SUMMIT IGNORES CHRISTIAN PERSECUTION
The boycott marked a notable break from past U.S. engagement, leaving the world’s largest economy missing from a key forum for global economic policymaking.
Trump also said in the same Truth Social post that he would halt U.S. payments to
South Africa
.
“South Africa has demonstrated to the world they are not a country worthy of membership anywhere and we are going to stop all payments and subsidies to them, effective immediately,” Trump wrote.
The White House and State Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for further details.
It remains unclear how the move will affect the country’s standing within the G-20 or broader U.S.–South Africa relations ahead of the 2026 summit in Florida.
Relations between Trump and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa have steadily deteriorated in recent months.
In February, Trump suspended U.S. aid to South Africa, alleging discrimination against White farmers. Tensions escalated again in March when the State Department expelled the South African ambassador, labeling him “persona non grata.”
In May, the two leaders clashed in the Oval Office when Trump pressed Ramaphosa over allegations that White Afrikaners were being targeted and killed in South Africa.Â
Ramaphosa pushed back, telling Trump he had seen no evidence to support those claims.
Paul Tilsley
contributed to this report from Johannesburg, South Africa.
