US President Donald Trump has ignited a major diplomatic dispute by announcing that South Africa will not be welcome at the G20 events scheduled to take place in Miami, Florida, in 2026. Trump also declared that all remaining US funding to South Africa will be withdrawn with immediate effect, marking one of the most severe punitive actions taken by his administration against the country.
The move comes as retaliation after South Africa declined the United States’ weekend request to hand over the rotating G20 presidency to a US diplomat. Under normal protocol, the handover is conducted between heads of state or senior government leaders, not diplomats. Pretoria insisted on following proper procedure and handed over G20 documentation at the Department of International Relations instead.
Despite the dramatic statement from Trump, the South African Presidency remains unfazed. Officials stressed that South Africa is a founding member of the G20 and therefore cannot be excluded unilaterally. Moreover, South Africa is part of the G20 troika, alongside the United States and the United Kingdom, which will assume the presidency in 2027. As a result, Pretoria maintains that Trump’s declaration holds no formal weight within the G20 framework.
Trump Escalates Tensions with South Africa Over G20 Dispute
In a late-night post shared on his platform Truth Social, Trump repeated long-debunked claims that white South Africans are being killed and that their farms are being seized without due process. He insisted that such alleged human rights abuses justify the United States’ decision to isolate South Africa diplomatically.
Trump wrote:
“The United States did not attend the G20 in South Africa because the South African government refuses to acknowledge or address the horrific human rights abuses endured by Afrikaners, and other descendants of Dutch, French, and German settlers.”
These comments echo previous statements made by Trump, which have been widely criticised by international observers, researchers, and the South African government as misinformation.
Continuing his online message, Trump stated that South Africa is not worthy of membership in any international body and accused the country of failing to uphold democratic values. He added that all payments and subsidies from the US government would be stopped immediately, a declaration that has left analysts questioning the legal and diplomatic implications.
On Monday, South Africa formally handed over the G20 presidency documents to the US representative, following protocol despite the political hostility. Government officials explained that the weekend’s refusal to hand documents to a diplomat was based solely on diplomatic norms, not political tensions.
Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya emphasised that South Africa remains a recognised and independent G20 member. He expressed disappointment at Trump’s escalating rhetoric and punitive actions.
“It’s regrettable that despite the efforts and numerous attempts by President Cyril Ramaphosa and his administration to reset the diplomatic relationship with the United States, President Trump continues to apply punitive measures against South Africa based on misinformation and distortions about our country,” Magwenya said.
South African officials also noted that the US was the only G20 country not represented by a government leader at the recent summit hosted at the Nasrec Expo Centre. With the exception of participation in business and civil society streams, the United States snubbed most of the meetings throughout the 2025 G20 cycle hosted by South Africa.
Observers argue that Trump’s recent actions and statements reflect a broader pattern of unconventional foreign policy decisions targeting countries that challenge his administration’s expectations or diplomatic preferences. Some analysts believe the escalating rift could undermine long-standing economic and security ties between the United States and South Africa if not resolved diplomatically.
Others point out that Trump’s claims regarding South Africa’s internal affairs have been repeatedly debunked by human rights organisations, academic researchers, and even his own previous government advisers. Still, the US president continues to use these narratives as justification for dramatic foreign policy steps.
As the global community reacts to Trump’s latest announcement, it remains unclear whether the United States can legally bar a founding member from G20 participation or halt involvement in multilateral activities unilaterally. The coming months may determine whether Trump’s threats translate into formal diplomatic action—or whether the G20’s collective governance structures will override individual political disputes.
Regardless, tension between the Trump administration and Pretoria has clearly intensified, raising questions about the future of bilateral relations and the stability of global cooperation as the 2026 G20 summit approaches.
Source- EWN