South Africa on Thursday condemned a decision by U.S. President Donald Trump to say the country would not be invited to the 2026 G20 leaders’ meeting in Miami, describing the move as “punitive”, politically motivated and based on misinformation. The row deepens a diplomatic rift that has grown over months between Pretoria and Washington.
Trump’s announcement, made on his social platform, followed an escalating dispute after the U.S. declined to participate in the recent G20 summit in Johannesburg. In his post the president said, in effect, that “South Africa will NOT be receiving an invitation to the 2026 G20” and threatened to stop U.S. payments and subsidies to the country — steps he framed as retaliation for what he called South Africa’s mistreatment of its white minority.
Pretoria pushed back forcefully. President Cyril Ramaphosa called the exclusion “regrettable” and said South Africa remains a “full, active and constructive” G20 member that takes part “in its own name and right,” not by U.S. invitation. South African officials accused Trump of relying on false or debunked claims — including assertions about a campaign of violence against white farmers — and said the U.S. action was effectively punitive politics rather than a reasoned foreign-policy decision.
The dispute comes amid other bilateral tensions. The U.S. has recently revoked the visa of former international relations minister Naledi Pandor, and Washington has signalled restrictions on some funding and engagement — steps South African ministers say will not change Pretoria’s determination to engage multilaterally. South African cabinet members have publicly downplayed the visa revocation’s practical effect while insisting the government will seek explanations through diplomatic channels.
Legal and diplomatic experts note that the G20 is not an organisation with a formal membership process in the same way as the UN; it is a grouping of the world’s largest economies and the format of participation is heavily shaped by the host country each year. While a host can set the guest list for a particular summit, barring a longstanding member outright would be unusual and could provoke wider political fallout among other G20 participants. Several commentators said Trump’s statement was therefore as much political signalling to his domestic base as a clear legal or procedural move.
International reaction has been mixed. Other G20 members at the Johannesburg summit pressed ahead with a joint declaration despite the U.S. absence and have largely treated South Africa as a legitimate host and participant. Analysts warn the spat could complicate trade and investment relations if it escalates, but also note that many governments and businesses operate independently of the bilateral political dispute.
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