On December 1, 2025, the United States officially assumed the presidency of the Group of 20 (G20) for the upcoming year, marking a pivotal moment for global economic leadership. Yet, what should have been a straightforward handover has instead erupted into a diplomatic firestorm, as President Donald Trump announced that South Africa would not be invited to the 2026 G20 Leaders’ Summit in Miami, Florida. The move, rooted in Trump’s repeated—yet widely discredited—accusations of human rights abuses against South Africa’s white minority, has drawn swift condemnation from South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and sparked a broader debate about the future of international cooperation within the G20.
According to the official press release from the US Department of State, President Trump’s administration intends to use the 2026 presidency to “return the G20 to focusing on its core mission of driving economic growth and prosperity to produce results.” The statement, made public on December 1, 2025, outlined three key priorities: unleashing economic prosperity by limiting regulatory burdens, unlocking affordable and secure energy supply chains, and pioneering new technologies and innovations. “We look forward to hosting the G20 Leaders’ Summit in one of America’s greatest cities, Miami, Florida, during the 250th anniversary year of the United States,” the release added, underscoring the symbolic significance of the event.
However, the celebratory tone was quickly overshadowed by Trump’s declaration that South Africa would not be invited to the Miami summit. The president justified this unprecedented move by citing unsubstantiated claims of human rights abuses and land confiscations targeting the country’s white minority, particularly Afrikaner farmers. Trump’s accusations, which have circulated in certain political circles for years, allege that South Africa’s land reform policies amount to “genocide against Afrikaners” and that the government is systematically persecuting white citizens. These claims have been repeatedly debunked by international fact-checkers and analysts, who note that crime in South Africa affects all groups and that there is no evidence of state-sanctioned violence or mass killings targeting whites.
Trump’s stance has not only reignited old debates but also introduced new tensions into the G20, an organization that represents over 80% of global GDP and typically prides itself on consensus and inclusivity. As reported by Central News, Trump had already boycotted the 2025 G20 Summit in Johannesburg, which was hosted by South Africa from November 18 to 19. Instead, the US delegation in Johannesburg was led by lower-level officials, with the administration citing “problems with South Africa” as the reason for Trump’s absence. This marked the first time a sitting US president had skipped a G20 gathering, setting the stage for the current dispute.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa responded forcefully to Trump’s announcement. In a state of the nation address on November 30, 2025, Ramaphosa declared, “South Africa is and will remain a full, active and constructive member of the G20.” He dismissed Trump’s threats as “regrettable” and “baseless,” emphasizing that the United States cannot unilaterally exclude a member state from the G20. Ramaphosa also described Trump’s repeated claims as “blatant misinformation,” directly refuting the narrative of genocide and land confiscation. “We value those constructive ties and will continue to work within the G20 framework,” Ramaphosa added, signaling Pretoria’s intention to maintain dialogue despite the diplomatic rift.
Backing Ramaphosa, South African Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola stressed that Pretoria had fulfilled all protocol requirements during the G20 presidency handover, including transferring the rotating presidency to a US embassy official at the Johannesburg summit’s closing ceremony. South Africa’s government has consistently pointed out that as a founding and permanent member of the G20, its participation is not subject to the discretion of the host country. The group’s structure ensures that all members are included in summits and working groups, regardless of any bilateral disputes.
The African Union has also weighed in, expressing solidarity with South Africa following Trump’s exclusion announcement. African leaders and international observers see Trump’s move as divisive and potentially damaging to the G20’s credibility as a forum for global cooperation. South Africa, the only African member of the G20 since its inception in 1999, has used its platform to advocate for reforms in international finance, support debt relief, and push for greater inclusion of African interests. In 2023, under Ramaphosa’s leadership, the African Union was admitted as a permanent G20 member, further cementing the continent’s role in global economic governance.
At the 2025 Johannesburg summit, leaders adopted the Johannesburg Declaration, which emphasized inclusive growth, green transitions, and support for low-income countries. The declaration was widely praised for its focus on equity and sustainability, priorities that stand in sharp contrast to the themes outlined by Trump for the 2026 US presidency—namely deregulation, energy security, and technological innovation. This divergence in priorities has raised concerns among analysts that working groups and negotiations in the coming year could become battlegrounds for competing visions of economic development.
Despite the diplomatic spat at the highest levels, the reality on the ground has been more nuanced. Ramaphosa noted that, even as the US government boycotted the Johannesburg summit, American businesses and civil society groups engaged actively in G20-related events in South Africa. “We value those constructive ties and will continue to work within the G20 framework,” Ramaphosa reiterated, highlighting the ongoing engagement between the two countries outside of official government channels.
Trump’s decision to bar South Africa has also been linked to his broader foreign policy stance, which includes accusations that Pretoria is aligning itself with China, Russia, and Iran in ways that undermine American interests. In some reports, Trump has even described South Africa as a “terrorist state,” further escalating the rhetoric. Analysts suggest that these moves are at least partially motivated by domestic politics, appealing to segments of the US electorate that are receptive to narratives about foreign threats and the need for an “America First” agenda.
Yet, as many observers have pointed out, the G20’s rules and traditions make it highly unlikely that any single member can be excluded by the host. The group’s legitimacy rests on its inclusivity and its ability to bring together the world’s major economies, even when there are sharp disagreements among them. South Africa’s government has made it clear that it intends to participate fully in all G20 activities, regardless of Trump’s statements.
As the United States embarks on its G20 presidency, the world is watching closely to see whether these tensions will derail the group’s work or whether cooler heads will prevail. The 2026 summit in Miami—set against the backdrop of America’s 250th anniversary—was meant to be a celebration of international cooperation and progress. Instead, it now stands as a test of the G20’s resilience and its commitment to dialogue in the face of political discord.
With both sides digging in their heels, the coming months will reveal whether the G20 can weather this latest storm or if the rift will have lasting consequences for global governance. For now, one thing is clear: the world’s eyes are on Miami, and the stakes for international diplomacy have rarely been higher.