South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has strongly criticised United States President Donald Trump’s decision to exclude South Africa from the 2026 G20 Summit, describing the move as “regrettable” and based on misinformation. The decision, which Trump announced through a social media post, has sparked widespread concern among diplomats, analysts, and global governance experts who view it as an unprecedented attempt to politicise one of the world’s most influential multilateral forums.
Trump claimed that South Africa would not be invited to the summit, scheduled to take place in Miami, Florida, because Pretoria allegedly refused to hand over the G20 presidency to a representative of the US embassy during last week’s summit in Johannesburg. “Therefore, at my direction, South Africa will NOT be receiving an invitation to the 2026 G20, which will be hosted in the Great City of Miami, Florida next year,” Trump wrote.
The US president also suggested that South African delegates could be barred from attending through visa restrictions—despite the fact that G20 members do not require invitations, as participation is automatic for all permanent members of the bloc.
Ramaphosa, addressing the media after Trump’s announcement, firmly rejected the claims, clarifying that the United States was expected to participate in the Johannesburg summit but chose not to attend. In the absence of an official US delegation, he said, “the instruments of the G20 Presidency were duly handed over to a US Embassy official at the Headquarters of South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation.” He emphasised that South Africa acted in strict compliance with G20 protocols and showed full respect to its international obligations.
The South African president expressed disappointment that Trump had opted to “punish” the country over what he described as a misrepresentation of events. He further cautioned that the decision threatened the collaborative spirit the G20 was created to foster, especially at a time when the world faces shared economic, environmental, and security challenges.
Trump’s exclusion announcement came alongside a revival of long-debunked claims about South Africa’s land reform process and racial tensions. In his post, Trump repeated allegations that the South African government was “killing white people and randomly allowing their farms to be taken from them”—a narrative widely dismissed by international observers, human rights organisations, and South Africa’s own crime statistics.
The South African government has repeatedly described these allegations as baseless, harmful, and lacking any credible evidence. Pretoria insists that the country’s land reform efforts remain guided by constitutional principles and democratic processes, rejecting any suggestion of racially motivated violence or state-sanctioned expropriation.
Trump’s decision to boycott the Johannesburg G20 summit further strained the relationship between the two countries. He justified his absence by referencing the same discredited claims, even as the majority of G20 leaders attended and contributed to what was widely regarded as a historic moment: the first G20 summit ever hosted on African soil.
In another escalation, Trump declared he would halt “all payments and subsidies” to South Africa with immediate effect, arguing that the country had “demonstrated to the world they were not a country worthy of membership anywhere.” Analysts say this stance risks undermining years of diplomatic engagement and could destabilise cooperation in several sectors, including trade, energy, and security.
South African officials responded swiftly, calling the US president’s remarks inflammatory and dangerous. They urged the international community to defend the integrity of the G20 and resist any attempts to weaponise participation or undermine the principles of multilateral engagement.
The Johannesburg summit concluded with a landmark joint declaration reaffirming global cooperation on climate resilience, sustainable development, and tackling rising economic inequality. South Africa, serving as G20 president for the first time, placed particular emphasis on amplifying the voices of African and Global South nations. Despite the United States objecting to certain elements of the communiqué—accusing South Africa of “weaponising” its leadership—the declaration was adopted by consensus, demonstrating strong support from other member states.
Diplomatic sources say there is growing concern that Trump’s attempt to exclude South Africa sets a dangerous precedent, one that could weaken the G20’s commitment to fairness, representation, and collective responsibility. Many observers argue that the G20 was designed to rise above geopolitical disputes, not be shaped by them.
For Ramaphosa, the broader worry is the impact on global cooperation at a time when nations must work together on climate threats, supply chain reform, food security, and digital transformation. He reiterated that South Africa remains committed to fostering constructive international relations and advancing the interests of developing countries within global institutions.
“This unfortunate decision is based on misinformation and distortions about our country,” Ramaphosa said. “South Africa has consistently engaged the United States in good faith, and we will continue to do so. Our commitment to multilateralism and international cooperation remains unwavering.”
As tensions simmer, South Africa has called for solidarity among G20 members and urged them to safeguard the principles upon which the forum was established. Whether Trump’s directive will ultimately influence the 2026 summit remains uncertain, but what is clear is that the debate has ignited a broader conversation about global power dynamics and the future of multilateral governance.
Follow Africa Live News:
📌 Facebook: Africa Live News — https://facebook.com/africalivenews
📌 Instagram: @africalivenews — https://www.instagram.com/africalivenews
📌 Twitter/X: @africalivenews — https://x.com/africalivenews2
