In a dramatic escalation of diplomatic tensions, former President Donald Trump has declared that South Africa will be barred from attending next year's G20 summit, hosted in Miami, Florida. The decision, announced via social media on Friday, is a punitive response to what Trump characterises as systematic human rights abuses leading to the slaughter of white South Africans.
The Justification for Exclusion
The United States boycotted the recent G20 summit in Johannesburg in protest against the South African government's stance. Trump explicitly stated that the administration refused to attend because South Africa 'refuses to acknowledge or address the horrific Human Right Abuses endured by Afrikaners, and other descendants of Dutch, French, and German settlers.' Consequently, he directed that South Africa will not receive an invitation to the 2026 G20.
The president's outrage stems from reports of violence against the Afrikaner minority, which he has repeatedly labelled a 'white genocide' under the regime of President Cyril Ramaphosa. Ramaphosa has consistently denied these claims. The friction between the two leaders was visibly demonstrated in May, when Trump confronted Ramaphosa in the Oval Office, presenting him with videos and pictures of the alleged atrocities.
Contested Claims and Political Rhetoric
However, the assertion of a targeted genocide is heavily contested. Official South African crime statistics do not show that Afrikaners are being systematically targeted in a genocidal manner. While the country's overall murder rate is alarmingly high, the majority of victims are Black South Africans.
Central to Trump's argument are clips of speeches from Julius Malema, the leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party. Malema regularly uses the inflammatory chant 'Shoot the Boer, Shoot the farmer' at political rallies. It is crucial to note that Malema and President Ramaphosa are political opponents and are frequently at odds. 'To put it more bluntly, they are killing white people, and randomly allowing their farms to be taken from them,' Trump wrote in his social media post.
Financial Repercussions and Media Accusations
The diplomatic penalty extends beyond the G20 exclusion. President Trump also announced the immediate cessation of all US aid payments and subsidies to South Africa. According to USA Facts, the US had obligated $564 million for the country in FY2024 and $103 million for FY2025. This move follows a previous crackdown on USAID funding for South Africa earlier in the year.
Trump also took aim at the media, accusing outlets like the New York Times and the broader 'Fake News Media' of failing to report on what he calls a genocide. 'That's why all the Liars and Pretenders of the Radical Left Media are going out of business!' he claimed.
A Disputed Handover and Lasting Fallout
The dispute created an unusual conclusion to the recent G20 summit. Typically, the hosting nation ceremonially hands over the G20 presidency to the next host. Since the US boycotted the session, no American official was present to receive the gavel. Trump, however, offered a contradictory account, alleging that a senior US Embassy representative attended the closing ceremony and that South Africa 'refused' to hand over the gavel. This contradicts his earlier statement that 'No US Government Official will attend as long as these Human Rights abuses continue.'
The claims of a 'white genocide' have been repeatedly dismissed by South African officials, independent judges, and international observers as baseless. As the situation develops, this decision marks a significant hardening of the US stance and a new low in bilateral relations.
