President Donald Trump has ruled out inviting South African officials to the 2026 G20 summit in the United States, using a series of social media posts on Wednesday to accuse Pretoria of abuses against white farmers. His remarks have created renewed diplomatic friction that is being closely watched across the region.
Trump announced that South Africa would not take part in the Miami gathering, saying the country was “not worthy of membership anywhere.” The G20 brings together the world’s major economies, including 19 countries, the European Union and the African Union. South Africa hosted the 2025 summit earlier this year, although the United States sent no senior delegation after Trump claimed Afrikaners were victims of targeted killings.
The claims resurfaced frequently throughout the year and were amplified by businessman Elon Musk, who was born in South Africa and briefly served as an adviser in Trump’s second term. Musk publicly supported Trump’s narrative, drawing global attention and criticism from South African officials.
Relations between the two countries deteriorated sharply in May when Trump hosted South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in Washington. Their meeting became tense after Trump screened a video montage which he said supported his accusations. Ramaphosa dismissed the allegations and reiterated that the South African government had no policy allowing the confiscation of farms owned by Afrikaners.
The Trump administration later introduced an executive order allowing white South Africans to resettle in the United States as refugees, claiming they faced race based discrimination. Pretoria rejected the allegations and denied that land seizures were taking place.
On Wednesday Trump repeated that South Africa “refuses to address human rights abuses” against Afrikaners and other communities of Dutch, French and German descent. He also claimed farmers were being killed and their farms taken, a statement South African leaders described as misleading earlier in the year. His latest announcement included an additional pledge to halt all payments and subsidies to South Africa with immediate effect, although his administration did not specify what further funding was being cut.
The decision marks the first time in more than two decades that a G20 participant has been excluded from the summit’s activities. Trump had already suspended financial aid to South Africa in February on the grounds of alleged discrimination against white farmers.
South African presidential spokesman Vincent Magwenya told international media that the government had heard speculation regarding their possible exclusion but would wait for formal communication from Washington. South Africa concluded its G20 chairmanship earlier this month, but the United States did not send a senior representative to receive the ceremonial handover.
At the same time Washington is considering allowing Poland to attend the 2026 summit at an elevated level. Polish officials have pushed for full membership, arguing that Poland is now the twentieth largest economy in the world. President Andrzej Duda held a friendly meeting with Trump in September during which he was invited to attend next year’s gathering at Trump National Doral, the Florida resort owned by Trump’s family business.
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