US President Donald Trump has revoked South Africa's invitation to join next year's G20 summit in Miami, citing what he describes as a "genocide" of white Afrikaners in the country. This move comes just days after an awkward diplomatic incident between the two nations, which highlights the increasingly strained relations between Washington and Pretoria.
In a bizarre twist, Trump offered to send a US Embassy representative to accept the G20 presidency from South Africa but was rebuffed by President Cyril Ramaphosa's administration as an insult. In response, Trump announced that South Africa would not be allowed to participate in the 2026 summit, effectively sidelining them from global economic discussions.
Critics argue that there is no evidence to support Trump's claims of genocide against Afrikaners, who are descended from Dutch, French, and German settlers. The US has long been a major trading partner with South Africa, with bilateral trade valued at over $26 billion in 2024. However, recent years have seen a significant deterioration in relations between the two nations.
Trump's decision is widely seen as an escalation of his ongoing feud with Ramaphosa, who has repeatedly denied allegations of human rights abuses against white Afrikaners. This move will further strain US-South African ties and potentially hinder global cooperation on key issues such as climate change and economic development.
In a bizarre twist, Trump offered to send a US Embassy representative to accept the G20 presidency from South Africa but was rebuffed by President Cyril Ramaphosa's administration as an insult. In response, Trump announced that South Africa would not be allowed to participate in the 2026 summit, effectively sidelining them from global economic discussions.
Critics argue that there is no evidence to support Trump's claims of genocide against Afrikaners, who are descended from Dutch, French, and German settlers. The US has long been a major trading partner with South Africa, with bilateral trade valued at over $26 billion in 2024. However, recent years have seen a significant deterioration in relations between the two nations.
Trump's decision is widely seen as an escalation of his ongoing feud with Ramaphosa, who has repeatedly denied allegations of human rights abuses against white Afrikaners. This move will further strain US-South African ties and potentially hinder global cooperation on key issues such as climate change and economic development.