Trump says no US government official will attend G20 summit in South Africa

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By Humeyra Pamuk

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -President Donald Trump said on Friday that no U.S. government official would attend the Group of 20 summit in South Africa later this month, because of what he said were “human rights abuses” taking place in the country.

“It is a total disgrace that the G20 will be held in South Africa. Afrikaners (People who are descended from Dutch settlers, and also French and German immigrants) are being killed and slaughtered, and their land and farms are being illegally confiscated.” Trump said in a Truth Social post.

Trump has claimed Afrikaners face persecution based on their race in the Black-majority country, allegations the South African government has denied.

“No U.S. Government Official will attend as long as these Human Rights abuses continue. I look forward to hosting the 2026 G20 in Miami, Florida!.” Trump said.

The president last month set the lowest cap on record for U.S. refugee admissions and said those people admitted would be focused largely on white Afrikaners.

Vice President JD Vance, who was expected to attend the Group of 20 world leaders in Johannesburg in Nov 22-23, was no longer going, a source familiar with the matter said.

South Africa’s foreign ministry spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Trump has taken issue with South African domestic and foreign policies – ranging from its land policy to its case accusing Israel of genocide in the U.S. ally’s war in Gaza.

Earlier this year, Secretary of State Marco Rubio also boycotted a G20 foreign ministers’ meeting in South Africa, which has the G20 presidency from December 2024 to November 2025.

The United States is set to take over the G20 presidency from South Africa.

(Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk and Bhargav Acharya in Toronto; editing by Costas Pitas and Cynthia Osterman)