• Trump announces no US officials will attend the G20 summit in South Africa.
• The boycott is due to claims of "human rights abuses" against Afrikaners.
• South African officials strongly deny Trump's allegations of persecution.
• This marks a significant diplomatic conflict between the US and South Africa.
• The US will take over G20 presidency after South Africa in 2026.

President Donald Trump announced that no U.S. government officials will attend the upcoming Group of 20 (G20) summit in South Africa, criticizing the country for what he deemed "human rights abuses" against Afrikaners, the descendants of European settlers. In a post on his social media platform, Trump referred to claims of "killing and slaughter" of Afrikaners and illegal confiscation of their land, stating, "It is a total disgrace that the G20 will be held in South Africa," according to SCMP and Reuters.

Trump indicated that Vice President JD Vance, originally scheduled to attend in his place, would also withdraw from the summit planned for November 22-23 in Johannesburg. The President expressed plans for the U.S. to host the G20 meeting in 2026 at his Miami resort, affirming, "No U.S. Government Official will attend as long as these Human Rights abuses continue," as reported by India Times and The Hill.

The South African government has denied claims of racial discrimination or persecution against Afrikaners, asserting instead that white South Africans typically enjoy a higher standard of living than their Black compatriots. South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa stated that the allegations presented by Trump are entirely false, highlighting that the accusations seemed to align with a broader narrative of diplomatic tension spurred by U.S. policies regarding refugees and foreign aid, according to Al Jazeera, BBC, and CBS News.

This decision to boycott the summit marks an escalation in diplomatic tensions, with White House officials continuously emphasizing perceived injustices against Afrikaners. Earlier, Secretary of State Marco Rubio notably boycotted a G20 meeting focused on diversity and climate change efforts in South Africa, reflecting a pattern of discontent regarding the nation’s internal policies and public image, according to data gathered from The Jakarta Post and Africa News.