Trump suggests he’ll skip G20 over South Africa policy disputes
President Donald Trump announced he may not attend the G20 leaders’ summit in South Africa this November, citing longstanding disagreements with the country’s domestic and foreign policies, as reported by Al-Monitor on July 29th.
“I think maybe I’ll send somebody else because I’ve had a lot of problems with South Africa. They have some very bad policies,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One.
The possible absence highlights growing tensions between Washington and Pretoria. Trump has repeatedly criticised South Africa over its land reform initiatives and its Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) policies, which aim to address historic racial injustices.
In February, he signed an executive order to cut U.S. financial aid to South Africa. Another worry is that Trump’s tariffs could potentially take out 100,000 jobs. By May, he had confronted President Cyril Ramaphosa with false claims of white genocide and land seizures during a White House meeting.
The rift widened when South Africa filed a case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), accusing the U.S. ally of genocide in Gaza. Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have both condemned the move, viewing it as an attack on Israel. Rubio boycotted a G20 foreign ministers’ meeting earlier this year in protest.
The Gaza conflict, remains a flashpoint in U.S.–South African relations. Israel denies the genocide charges and defends its actions as retaliation for Hamas’ October 2023 attack, which killed 1,200 and led to hundreds of hostage takings.
Despite tensions, Ramaphosa has urged Trump to attend the G20 summit. Trump, however, remains non-committal.
Al-Monitor, The Guardian, Maghrebi.org
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