U.S. Might Skip G20 in South Africa Due to Policy Disputes

By: TPA News Desk | World News | www.thepointafricanews.com/world-news

U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that he may not attend the upcoming G20 Leaders’ Summit scheduled for November 22–23 in Johannesburg, South Africa, citing concerns over what he described as “very bad policies” implemented by the South African government.

Speaking aboard Air Force One during a campaign stop on Tuesday, President Trump told reporters:

“I think maybe I’ll send somebody else because I’ve had a lot of problems with South Africa. They have some very bad policies. A lot of people are being killed.”

Although he did not specify which policies he was referring to, Trump has previously criticized South Africa’s land expropriation reforms and expressed concern over alleged violence targeting white farmers—a claim South African officials and analysts have rejected as misleading and inflammatory.

The President’s remarks have sparked diplomatic concern, as this would mark the first time a U.S. president skips a G20 summit based on policy disagreements with the host nation. It also deepens ongoing tensions between Washington and Pretoria, with Trump’s administration already suspending high-level participation in G20-related meetings in South Africa earlier this year.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio boycotted a G20 foreign ministers’ gathering in Johannesburg in May, while several American government agencies have been instructed not to participate in preparatory meetings.

Critics of the administration warn that Washington’s potential absence at the November summit could reduce U.S. influence in global economic negotiations and open space for increased Chinese and BRICS-led leadership on issues ranging from climate finance to digital taxation and global debt restructuring.

South African authorities have yet to respond officially to Trump’s latest remarks. However, President Cyril Ramaphosa has consistently defended his country’s land reform policies as constitutional, inclusive, and aimed at redressing historical injustices.

The 2025 G20 Summit will focus on the theme “Solidarity, Equality, and Sustainability.” If Trump opts not to attend, it could signal a broader realignment of U.S. engagement with international multilateral platforms during his presidency.

The White House is expected to make a formal announcement about the U.S. delegation in the coming weeks.