Trump Withdraws South Africa’s Invitation to G20 Summit
President Donald Trump has officially withdrawn South Africa’s invitation to the upcoming G20 summit, scheduled to take place in Miami, Florida, in 2024. This decision comes as tensions escalate between the United States and South Africa, particularly following statements made by Trump regarding the African nation’s policies and governance.
The announcement was made on Trump’s platform, Truth Social, as the current G20 summit concluded in Johannesburg without U.S. participation. Trump criticized South Africa, stating, “South Africa has demonstrated to the World they are not a country worthy of Membership anywhere, and we are going to stop all payments and subsidies to them, effective immediately.” This declaration signals a significant shift in diplomatic relations between the two countries.
In recent months, Trump has intensified his criticisms of South Africa, particularly concerning land expropriation laws aimed at addressing historical racial inequalities. In February, he threatened to cut U.S. funding to South Africa if these laws were implemented, claiming they amounted to “confiscating land” and violated the rights of White South Africans. The law allows for limited expropriation without compensation but mandates that property cannot be taken arbitrarily.
Trump’s rhetoric escalated, with assertions that White South Africans face genocide, a claim that has been categorically rejected by South African officials and regional leaders. The African National Congress (ANC), South Africa’s ruling political party, responded to Trump’s allegations by labeling them as a “long and disgraceful pattern of imperial arrogance and disinformation.” They emphasized that such statements aim to distort the reality of South Africa’s democracy and manipulate racial fears for political advantage in the United States.
Following Trump’s announcement that the United States would not attend the G20 summit in Johannesburg, he cited concerns over violence against Afrikaners and illegal land seizures. In response, the ANC criticized Trump’s statements as politically motivated and indicative of his alignment with extremist views.
On November 8, the ANC released a statement asserting, “Donald Trump’s continued siding with racist and right-wing movements across the world is well-documented.” They condemned his remarks as driven by prejudice rather than principle, referencing his past defense of White supremacists and derogatory comments about African nations.
After the G20 summit’s conclusion, Trump reiterated his claims regarding violence against Afrikaners, alleging that South African delegates “refused” to hand over the G20 presidency to a senior U.S. Embassy official. However, the office of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa clarified that the instruments of the G20 presidency were handed over to an official from the U.S. Embassy following the summit’s closure, emphasizing that the United States had not participated in the event.
In response to Trump’s actions, Ramaphosa’s office expressed regret, stating, “Despite the efforts and numerous attempts by President Ramaphosa and his administration to reset the diplomatic relationship with the U.S., President Trump continues to apply punitive measures against South Africa based on misinformation and distortions about our country.”
As diplomatic relations between the two nations continue to deteriorate, the implications of Trump’s withdrawal of South Africa’s G20 invitation remain to be seen, highlighting the ongoing complexities in international politics and the impact of rhetoric on global relations.
