The lead-up to the 2025 G20 summit in Johannesburg has been anything but smooth, with a diplomatic tug-of-war between the United States and South Africa unfolding in the global spotlight. As the summit opens its doors from November 21 to 23, the question of U.S. participation has dominated headlines, fueled by conflicting statements, last-minute diplomatic notes, and a swirl of political tensions.
President Donald Trump set the stage earlier this month with a bombshell announcement on Truth Social: “No U.S. Government Official will attend as long as these Human Rights abuses continue.” Trump’s message referred to what he described as “Afrikaners … being killed and slaughtered, and their land and farms are being illegally confiscated.” According to Fox News Digital, this declaration was a direct response to reports of human rights abuses against white South African farmers—a topic that has long been a flashpoint in U.S.-South Africa relations.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, however, offered a different narrative. On November 20, Ramaphosa told journalists that the United States had sent a notice indicating “a change of mind about participating in one shape, form or other in the summit.” He described this as a “positive sign,” emphasizing that “boycott politics never work. It’s always best to be inside the tent than outside of the tent. The tent is the G20. All countries are here.” Ramaphosa’s optimism was palpable: “The United States, being the biggest economy in the world, needs to be here.”
Yet, the White House was quick to push back. Speaking to Fox News Digital, a White House official dismissed reports of any reversal as “fake news.” The official clarified, “The chargé d’affaires in Pretoria will attend the handover ceremony as a formality, but the United States is not joining G20 discussions.” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt reinforced this message in a news conference: “There is not a shift of plans to attend. The United States is not participating in official talks at the G20 in South Africa.” Leavitt also took issue with Ramaphosa’s public remarks, saying, “I saw the South African president running his mouth a little bit against the United States and the president of the United States earlier today, and that language is not appreciated by the president or his team.”
The situation only grew more complicated as a diplomatic note circulated in South Africa, showing a request for Marc Dillard, the U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission, to take part in the closing session where the G20 presidency would be handed over to the U.S. According to The Africa Report, this last-minute request raised hopes among South African officials that the U.S. might participate more fully than previously indicated. Ramaphosa noted, “This comes really at the late hour before the summit begins… we need to engage in those type of discussions to see how practical it is, and what it finally really means.” He added, “They have a seat at the round table, as you will see Saturday when the summit kicks off. There is a seat for the United States. So, when President Trump said they are not coming, that seat still remains empty, but hopefully it will be occupied.”
Behind the scenes, the G20 summit’s significance for Africa and the developing world loomed large. This year’s summit, the first ever to be hosted on African soil, has prioritized issues such as climate change, debt sustainability, and economic development for the continent. South Africa, as host, has made clear its intention to elevate the interests of Africa and the broader Global South. According to The New York Times, dozens of preparatory meetings have been held, but U.S. officials reportedly skipped many of them or refused to engage in negotiations, which are required for issuing joint declarations. Despite the U.S. objections, South African officials have said they plan to move forward with a consensus declaration at the end of the summit.
The U.S. absence from official discussions has been echoed by other major powers. China’s Xi Jinping, Russia’s Vladimir Putin, and Argentina’s Javier Milei are also skipping the summit, though they are sending delegations in their place, as reported by The Associated Press. In contrast, the United States’ approach has been defined by a combination of symbolic gestures and pointed abstention. The acting ambassador, Marc Dillard, will attend only the closing ceremony, where the United States will receive the G20 presidency for the 2026 summit, expected to be held in Florida. American officials have indicated they plan to streamline the agenda for next year’s gathering, focusing on fewer discussion topics.
Ramaphosa’s frustration with the U.S. position was evident in his remarks to the press. “We will not be bullied. We will not agree to be bullied by anyone,” he said, as quoted by Fox News Digital. The South African government has also pushed back against Trump’s claims of widespread violence against white farmers. In a statement on November 8, officials asserted, “The characterisation of Afrikaners as an exclusively white group is ahistorical. Furthermore, the claim that this community faces persecution, is not substantiated by fact.”
The back-and-forth between Washington and Pretoria has not been confined to diplomatic channels. In May, Trump confronted Ramaphosa in the Oval Office over the alleged killings of white South African farmers, showing video footage of what he described as burial sites marked by white crosses. “Now this is very bad. These are burial sites right here. Burial sites — over a thousand — of White farmers,” Trump said, according to Fox News Digital. Ramaphosa responded, “Have they told you where that is, Mr. President? I’d like to know where that is. Because this I’ve never seen.” The exchange underscored the deep mistrust and divergent perspectives on the issue.
The U.S. stance on South African refugees has further complicated matters. In May, the State Department announced it would welcome South African refugees who were victims of “government-sponsored racial discrimination.” The South African government condemned this move, arguing that claims of white genocide have been discredited and that the U.S. policy was based on misinformation.
Despite the diplomatic wrangling, some forms of engagement have persisted. Representatives from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce attended the B20 business summit in Johannesburg on November 19 and 20, just ahead of the G20 Leaders’ Summit. This presence, while not official government participation, signals ongoing economic ties even amid political disputes.
As the summit unfolds, the empty U.S. seat at the G20 round table stands as a powerful symbol—one that reflects not just a specific disagreement over attendance, but broader questions about the United States’ role in global forums and its relationship with Africa. Whether this episode will prompt a recalibration of U.S.-Africa relations or simply mark another chapter in a history of diplomatic friction remains to be seen. For now, all eyes are on Johannesburg—and on the future of the G20 itself.
