A significant diplomatic dispute has emerged regarding the United States’ participation in the G20 summit in Johannesburg, South Africa. This development followed a firm denial from the Trump administration just hours after South African President Cyril Ramaphosa stated that talks with Washington were ongoing and that the US had experienced a “change of mind” about attending official deliberations. Ramaphosa had earlier described an “11th-hour about-turn” by the Trump administration, which he considered a positive sign, emphasizing the importance of the world’s largest economy being present at a gathering of global economic powers.

However, the White House vehemently maintained that its position had not changed. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt explicitly told reporters, “The United States is not participating in official talks at the G20 in South Africa.” She further criticized Ramaphosa’s remarks, stating that his language was “not appreciated by the president or his team.” The White House clarified that the US ambassador would attend only Sunday’s handover ceremony, as the United States is set to host the summit next year at a golf club owned by Trump in Florida, fulfilling a symbolic rather than substantive role.

The US embassy in Pretoria had previously issued a notice confirming non-attendance, citing that South Africa’s G20 priorities “run counter to US policy views” and that Washington could not support consensus on documents negotiated under South Africa’s presidency. Agenda items reportedly at odds with US policy included improving debt sustainability for low-income countries, financing a “just energy transition,” and harnessing “critical minerals for inclusive growth and sustainable development.”

This G20 summit became the latest major international gathering to be shunned by the United States under President Trump’s administration. Trump had initially agreed to send Vice President JD Vance but later ruled out any official participation. This pattern mirrored the administration’s stance at other global events, including the ongoing COP30 climate talks in Brazil, where the Trump administration has continued to defend fossil fuels and reject scientific consensus on rising temperatures.

President Trump’s administration has repeatedly singled out South Africa for harsh treatment since his return to the White House in January. He frequently echoed debunked claims that white Afrikaners were being systematically “killed and slaughtered” in the country, despite high levels of general violence. The administration further expelled South Africa’s ambassador following accusations of racism against Trump and imposed 30% trade tariffs on South Africa, the highest in sub-Saharan Africa. These actions underscored the increasingly strained diplomatic relationship between the two nations.

Despite the official US boycott of the G20 talks, American businesses maintained a presence at a separate Business 20 (B20) event held in Johannesburg. Suzanne Clark, head of the US Chamber of Commerce, publicly thanked South Africa for fostering “real collaboration between G20 nations during a time of rapid change” during its presidency, signaling a notably different stance from the private sector compared to the US government.