The United States will not participate in the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg this weekend after the Trump administration announced a boycott, citing what it called race-based grievances about South Africa and objections to the summit’s emphasis on diversity, equity and inclusion. Since returning to office, President Trump has accused South Africa of seizing white-owned land and failing to curb violence against white Afrikaners, even suggesting the country should be excluded from the G20.
South African officials have repeatedly rejected those claims. President Cyril Ramaphosa, playing down the snub, said the U.S. absence was their loss. Still, Washington’s decision represents a notable diplomatic setback for South Africa, which had hoped to use the rotating presidency to raise its global profile. Argentina’s president Javier Milei also said he would skip in solidarity with Trump. Chinese President Xi Jinping is not attending for unrelated reasons tied to his broader reluctance to travel abroad, and Russian President Vladimir Putin is barred by an International Criminal Court arrest warrant connected to the war in Ukraine.
Observers say the lineup underscores deep fractures in global diplomacy. Some analysts described the gathering as a markedly different summit without the two largest global powers. Several other leaders are attending, and countries such as Germany have publicly praised Johannesburg’s priorities — framed by organizers as solidarity, equality and sustainability — themes that U.S. officials have criticized as too focused on DEI and climate issues.
Tensions between Washington and Pretoria became more visible as delegations arrived. Ramaphosa said South Africa received late signals from the U.S. that it might participate in some capacity, but clarification was still needed. The White House pushed back, making clear the United States would not take part in official G20 discussions and called the South African president’s public remarks unacceptable.
In a limited diplomatic move, the U.S. embassy plans to send its chargé d’affaires to perform a ceremonial handover of the G20 rotating presidency back to Washington. South African presidential staff rejected the idea of a symbolic transfer to a lower-level envoy, emphasizing that the president would not hand over to a chargé. Whether the summit will conclude with a joint communique is uncertain; a final declaration that the United States declines to endorse would be an unusual outcome for the G20.
The diplomatic dispute has played out against visible local resentment in Johannesburg. Many residents complained that the city’s preparations amounted to a surface-level clean-up for visiting delegations while longstanding infrastructure problems — including power cuts and water shortages — persist. Critics argue the contrast between VIP treatment and everyday service failures highlights persistent inequality.
Civil society groups used the summit to press local concerns. Thousands of women dressed in black staged a day of action against gender-based violence, staying home from work and lying down in public spaces to draw attention to high rates of femicide and assault. The group Women for Change organized the protest to ensure domestic crises remained part of the global conversation.
The row over the U.S. characterization of South Africa has intensified debate about race and affirmative action at home. A right-wing Afrikaans group erected billboards asserting South Africa is ‘‘the most race-regulated country in the world,’’ an apparent jab at employment equity policies. In reply, a progressive Afrikaner organization put up tongue-in-cheek billboards depicting the national rugby team with two white players carrying Black captain Siya Kolisi and the line: “Terrible things are happening in South Africa.” The episode reflects the polarized domestic climate as global leaders converge in Johannesburg.