President Trump announced that no U.S. government officials will attend this year’s G20 summit in South Africa, saying the move responds to what he described as abuses against white farmers. He had already said he would not attend the leaders' summit in person, and the administration framed the boycott as a protest over those allegations. Major news outlets report the assertions about a campaign of killings or persecution against white South Africans lack supporting evidence in the record cited by the President.
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President Trump announced that no U.S. government officials will attend this year’s G20 summit in South Africa, saying the move responds to what he described as abuses against white farmers. He had already said he would not attend the leaders' summit in person, and the administration framed the boycott as a protest over those allegations. Major news outlets report the assertions about a campaign of killings or persecution against white South Africans lack supporting evidence in the record cited by the President.
Highlights:
- Vice-president plans: Vice-President J.D. Vance had been due to represent the U.S. at the summit, but a person familiar with his schedule said he will no longer travel there after the boycott announcement.
- Strong rhetoric: In public remarks the President used forceful language, including terms like 'genocide' and calling South Africa's hosting 'a disgrace,' as he repeated allegations about white farmers' treatment.
- Earlier exclusion push: The boycott follows an earlier Trump statement that South Africa should not be part of the G20 at all, increasing tensions ahead of the summit.
- Longstanding accusations: U.S. officials and some in the administration have repeatedly made claims about Afrikaner farmers' mistreatment, a line of criticism noted in international coverage of the dispute.
Completely false. - Cyril Ramaphosa
Perspectives:
- President Trump / U.S. administration: The President framed a complete withdrawal of U.S. government attendance as a response to what he described as killings and persecution of white farmers in South Africa, and he said he would not attend the summit personally. (Al Jazeera)
- South African president Cyril Ramaphosa: Ramaphosa told President Trump that the information about alleged discrimination and persecution of Afrikaners is 'completely false' when the matter was raised with him. (PBS NewsHour)
- Vice-President J.D. Vance (scheduling source): A person familiar with scheduling said Vance had been set to attend in the President's place but will not travel following the administration's decision. (South China Morning Post)
Sources:
- Trump says U.S. will boycott G20 in South Africa, repeating claims about ‘abuses’ of white farmers - pbs.org
- Trump says US to boycott G20 in South Africa, cites treatment of white farmers - scmp.com
- Trump says U.S. to boycott G20 in South Africa, repeating allegations about treatment of white farmers - japantoday.com
- Trump says U.S. officials will not attend G-20 summit in South Africa - washingtonpost.com
- Trump says no US government official will attend G20 summit in South Africa - straitstimes.com
- Trump: No US officials attending G20 in South Africa - dw.com
- Trump says US will boycott G20 summit in South Africa, citing treatment of white farmers - theguardian.com
- Trump says U.S. to boycott G-20 in South Africa, repeats allegations about treatment of white farmers - thehindu.com
- Trump says US to boycott South Africa G20 summit over white ‘genocide’ - aljazeera.com
- Total disgrace... Afrikaners are being slaughtered: Trump confirms US boycott of South Africa-hosted G20 - firstpost.com