U.S. Withdraws from G20 Summit in South Africa Over Alleged Human Rights Concerns

President Donald Trump announced on Friday that no U.S. government officials will attend the upcoming G20 summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, scheduled for November 22–23, 2025. The decision is based on allegations of human rights abuses against white Afrikaner farmers in South Africa.

"It is a total disgrace that the G20 will be held in South Africa," Trump stated on his social media platform, Truth Social.

The Trump administration has accused the South African government of allowing violence and land confiscation targeting white farmers. These claims have been strongly refuted by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who argues that white citizens remain economically advantaged decades after apartheid ended.

Vice President JD Vance, who was initially expected to attend the summit in place of President Trump, will no longer participate. An official, speaking anonymously, confirmed that "the vice president is not traveling to South Africa for the G20, nor does he have any plans for international travel in the near term."

This development follows earlier tensions between the U.S. and South Africa. In February, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced he would not attend a G20 meeting in Johannesburg, citing South Africa's land expropriation law.

The G20 summit is an annual gathering of leaders from the world's largest economies to discuss global economic issues. South Africa's hosting of the summit has been met with criticism from the Trump administration, which has expressed concerns over the country's policies and their impact on human rights.

The South African government has consistently denied allegations of persecuting white farmers, emphasizing its commitment to addressing historical land ownership disparities in a lawful and equitable manner.