Trump to boycott South Africa G20 summit citing 'abuses' against white farmers

Washington: President Donald Trump announced on Friday that no US government officials would attend this year’s Group of 20 summit in South Africa, citing concerns over the country’s treatment of white farmers. Although Trump had already declared he would skip the summit, Vice President JD Vance was initially set to represent the US but later decided not to attend either, according to an anonymous source familiar with Vance’s plans.

In a social media post, Trump called holding the G20 summit in South Africa a "total disgrace," highlighting what he described as “abuses” against Afrikaners, including violence, deaths, and the confiscation of their land and farms. “It is a total disgrace that the G20 will be held in South Africa,” Trump posted.

The Trump administration has frequently accused the South African government of allowing minority white Afrikaner farmers to face persecution and attacks. The administration has also limited US refugee admissions to 7,500 annually, stating that most will be white South Africans allegedly facing discrimination and violence.

South Africa’s government expressed surprise at these claims, noting that white citizens generally enjoy a much higher standard of living than Black residents, decades after apartheid ended. President Cyril Ramaphosa told Trump that the allegations about the persecution of Afrikaners are “completely false.” Despite this, the US administration has maintained its criticism, with Trump recently suggesting South Africa be expelled from the G20 during an economic speech in Miami.

Additionally, earlier in the year, Secretary of State Marco Rubio boycotted a G20 meeting for foreign ministers due to its focus on diversity, inclusion, and climate change issues.

With inputs from PTI