On September 5, 2025, President Donald Trump announced that the United States would host the 2026 G20 summit at the Trump National Doral golf resort in Miami, Florida, marking the first time in nearly two decades that the global gathering will take place on American soil. Trump’s decision, unveiled during a press availability in the Oval Office, has already set off a flurry of excitement, scrutiny, and political debate—both for its historic nature and for the choice of venue.
“As we celebrate our nation’s 250th anniversary next year, the United States will have the honor of hosting ... the G20 summit right here in America for the first time in nearly 20 years,” Trump told reporters, as quoted by BBC. The president, flanked by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, highlighted the selection of Doral as a practical and attractive choice. “Everybody wants it there because it’s right next to the airport, it’s the best location, it’s beautiful,” Trump said, according to POLITICO. He emphasized the convenience for international delegations and described the property as “beautiful everything.”
The Doral resort, owned by the Trump Organization, is no stranger to controversy. During his first term, Trump attempted to host the 2020 G7 summit at the same location, but withdrew the plan after facing criticism—including from within his own party—over potential conflicts of interest and the appearance of personal profit. This time around, Trump was quick to insist there would be no financial gain from the event. “There’s no money in it,” he stated on Friday, as reported by the Los Angeles Times. “We’re doing a deal where it’s not going to be money, there’s no money in it. I just want it to go well. I think it’ll be really a beautiful thing.”
Despite his assurances, the decision has reignited concerns about the intersection of Trump’s business interests and his role as president. The president has often promoted his properties and ventures, including his $TRUMP meme coin and various golf courses, sometimes blurring the lines between public office and private enterprise. According to the Los Angeles Times, Trump rarely travels domestically without staying at or golfing on properties bearing his name, and his sons have continued to run the Trump Organization during his presidency.
Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, present at the announcement, expressed enthusiasm about the summit’s impact on the city and region. “It puts us on the global map,” Suarez said, as quoted by the Los Angeles Times. “It’s a tremendous boom for [the] economy.” The mayor’s optimism was echoed in a statement: “Miami is honored to host the G20 summit, marking a historic moment for both Miami and the nation. It reinforces Miami’s role on the international stage when events like the G20, the America Business Forum and the 2026 FIFA World Cup, want to call Miami home,” according to POLITICO.
The G20, made up of the world’s major economies, the European Union, and the African Union, last convened in the United States in 2009, when Pittsburgh played host. The upcoming summit is slated for December 2026, a time when South Florida hotels are typically full. Trump underscored Doral’s suitability, noting its ample space and proximity to Miami International Airport. “Each delegation from different countries will have its own building,” he said, according to the Los Angeles Times, suggesting a level of comfort and exclusivity for world leaders and their entourages.
Beyond the logistics, Trump’s announcement carried significant diplomatic implications. He expressed openness to inviting Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping to the summit, despite the complex international landscape. “I’d love them to, if they want to,” Trump said, as reported by Newsweek. He added that both leaders could attend as observers, although Russia and China are already full G20 members. “I’m not sure they want to be an observer. If they want to, we can certainly talk.”
The prospect of Putin attending the summit is especially fraught. The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Putin in March 2023, complicating his presence at international events. While the U.S. is not a member of the ICC, the issue has posed diplomatic challenges elsewhere; for example, Brazil, which hosted the G20 in 2024, would have been obligated to arrest Putin had he attended in person. Xi Jinping, meanwhile, attended the 2024 G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro in person, while Putin joined by video link.
Trump’s overture to the Russian and Chinese leaders comes at a time of heightened global tensions. The Kremlin has recently portrayed Putin’s meetings with Trump, including a notable encounter in Anchorage, Alaska, as signs of Russia’s gradual reintegration into high-level global diplomacy. Trump, for his part, has sometimes criticized the close cooperation between Putin, Xi, and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, accusing them of conspiring against the United States. Nevertheless, the invitation signals a willingness to engage, even if only symbolically, with America’s chief geopolitical rivals on home turf.
As for the 2025 G20 summit, scheduled for November 22-23 in Johannesburg, South Africa, Trump confirmed he will not attend. “I won’t be going, JD will be going. Great vice president, and he looks forward to it,” Trump told reporters, referring to Vice President JD Vance, who will represent the United States in his place. Trump had previously signaled discomfort with South African policies, citing what he described as “very bad policies” and expressing concern over unproven claims of genocide against white farmers—a narrative his administration has promoted by relocating Afrikaner refugees and highlighting controversial land reform debates in South Africa, as reported by POLITICO.
The announcement of the 2026 G20 summit in Miami comes as the city prepares for a string of high-profile international events, including the America Business Forum and the 2026 FIFA World Cup. With the eyes of the world set to turn toward South Florida, organizers and local officials are already touting the economic and diplomatic benefits. “It’s a very, very successful area of Florida,” Trump said, reflecting on Miami’s global appeal and his own longstanding desire to showcase the city to world leaders.
As planning for the summit moves forward, scrutiny is likely to intensify over the financial arrangements and the broader implications of hosting such a consequential event at a property owned by the sitting president. Trump’s assertion that “there’s no money in it” will face ongoing examination, especially as the Trump Organization continues to operate high-profile hospitality assets and as the president remains a central figure in both American politics and his business empire.
With the 2026 G20 summit set for Miami, the stage is now set for a gathering that promises not only to shape international economic policy but also to spotlight the complex interplay between politics, business, and global diplomacy in the United States.
