In a major diplomatic move, President Donald Trump announced that the United States will not participate in the upcoming Group of 20 (G20) summit in South Africa, calling the event “a total disgrace.”

The decision signals Washington’s strongest rebuke yet of what the Trump administration describes as widespread persecution of Afrikaners — South Africa’s white ethnic minority of Dutch, French, and German descent.

The G20 summit, scheduled for 22–23 November in Johannesburg, is set to proceed without US attendance after months of speculation surrounding Washington’s position. President Trump confirmed the boycott through a statement posted on Truth Social on Friday evening, reiterating his administration’s stance on alleged human rights violations in South Africa.

In his post, Trump asserted that Afrikaner farmers are being “killed and slaughtered” and that their “land and farms are being illegally confiscated.” He added that “no U.S. government official will attend as long as these human rights abuses continue,” describing South Africa’s domestic situation as “a disgrace to humanity.” The president further expressed anticipation for hosting the 2026 G20 summit in Miami, Florida.

This development follows a May directive from the White House ordering all federal agencies to halt coordination with the G20 secretariat regarding preparations for the South Africa summit. At the time, Trump made clear his reluctance to engage with the event unless what he called the “genocidal violence” against white landowners was addressed. “Farmers are being killed,” Trump said earlier in the year. “They happen to be white, but nobody wants to report it. It’s a terrible thing that’s taking place.”

The administration’s stance stems from an executive order signed in February, which temporarily halted all forms of US foreign assistance to South Africa. The order accused Pretoria of “fueling disproportionate violence against radically disfavoured landowners.” Days before the order was issued, Secretary of State Marco Rubio publicly confirmed he would not attend the Johannesburg summit, reinforcing the administration’s unified position.

Further deepening the rift, the White House authorised the entry of Afrikaner refugees into the United States, designating them as victims of racial persecution. This policy coincided with Trump’s decision to reduce overall refugee intake to a historic low of 7,500 for the fiscal year, allocating a majority of those slots to white South Africans seeking asylum.

Stephen Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff, defended the adjustment to the refugee quota, calling the situation in South Africa “a textbook case of race-based persecution” and aligning it with the “original purpose of the American refugee programme.”

In late October, Trump met with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at the Oval Office for a tense discussion on the matter. Sources cited by The Hill reported that during the meeting, Trump showed Ramaphosa footage which he claimed substantiated his allegations of farm attacks and racially motivated killings.

Despite the president’s overtures, no joint statement was issued following the meeting — a departure from standard diplomatic practice.

The United States’ decision to skip the summit marks a rare instance of a G20 member formally boycotting the annual forum, traditionally regarded as essential for global economic cooperation. The boycott could further strain relations between Washington and Pretoria, which have already been tested by policy disagreements on land reform, trade, and South Africa’s neutral stance on global conflicts.

Analysts suggest the boycott may embolden nationalist sentiment within both countries while complicating broader G20 negotiations on trade realignment and fiscal recovery strategies.

With just weeks to go before world leaders convene in Johannesburg, South Africa faces increasing isolation as questions mount over its human rights record and its capacity to host a summit now marred by geopolitical tension.

Based On ANI Report