US President Donald Trump will not attend the G20 summit in Johannesburg this November, opting instead to send Vice President JD Vance to represent Washington.
The decision comes amid strained relations between Trump and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who is hosting the gathering.
The two leaders clashed earlier this year at the White House after Trump repeated discredited claims that white farmers in South Africa were facing “genocide,” a narrative strongly rejected by Pretoria, which insists that farm-related violence is not racially motivated.
Tensions have deepened in recent months.
The Trump administration suspended financial aid to South Africa, imposed 30% tariffs on its exports to the US, and criticized its position on the Israel-Hamas conflict. In March, Washington expelled South African Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool over his sharp criticism of Trump.
Meanwhile, the Afrikaans trade union Solidarieit — faulted by Ramaphosa for a recent Washington trip — is planning another visit to the US in September to lobby for the rollback of racial-redress policies, restoration of diplomatic ties, and a fair trade agreement.
Despite Trump’s absence, South African officials have welcomed Vance’s participation, stressing that the success of the summit depends on substantive dialogue rather than the presence of any single leader.
The G20, which brings together the world’s largest economies along with the European Union and African Union, meets annually to shape global economic policy.
This year’s summit — the first ever to be held on African soil — will focus on the theme Solidarity, Equality and Sustainability.
