Trump Declares Full Boycott of South Africa G20: "Neither I Nor Officials Will Attend"

Yonhap News Agency

U.S. President Donald Trump has effectively declared a full boycott of the Group of 20 (G20) summit scheduled to be held in South Africa at the end of this month.

On November 7 (local time), President Trump posted on his social media platform, Truth Social, stating that no U.S. government officials would attend this year's G20 summit.

He said, "It is truly shameful that the G20 summit is being held in South Africa," claiming that Afrikaners, descendants of Dutch settlers, are being deprived of their land and farms and are suffering from murder and violence.

President Trump has previously criticized the South African government for persecuting Afrikaners and has expressed his intention not to participate in the G20 summit.

Initially, it was reported that Vice President J.D. Vance would attend the G20 summit in place of President Trump, but this plan has also been withdrawn. The British daily The Guardian, citing a U.S. official who requested anonymity, reported that "Vice President Vance will also not attend the G20 summit."

The Trump administration claims that the South African government is neglecting the persecution of minority white farmers.

In response, the South African government argued that even 30 years after the end of apartheid, the standard of living for whites remains much higher than that of blacks. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa reportedly explained this point directly to President Trump.

However, despite the South African government's explanations, the Trump administration's criticism has not ceased.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio boycotted the G20 foreign ministers' meeting held in South Africa in February, and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also did not attend the G20 finance ministers and central bank governors' meeting in July. Both criticized the G20's agenda of "solidarity, equality, and sustainability" as being "anti-American."

In May, President Trump directly raised suspicions of the killing of white farmers in South Africa with President Ramaphosa during his visit to the White House, expressing his displeasure.

Meanwhile, last month, the U.S. government drastically reduced its refugee intake quota and decided to give preferential acceptance to white South Africans, citing their alleged persecution by the South African government.