Ramaphosa Fires Back as Trump Boycotts G20 Summit: “Their Loss”

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has dismissed United States President Donald Trump’s decision to boycott the upcoming G20 summit in Johannesburg, calling it “their loss” and warning Washington that boycott politics “doesn’t work”.

Tensions between the two nations have spiked in recent months over the US’s widely rejected claims that white Afrikaners are being persecuted in South Africa, a narrative the South African government and Afrikaner leaders have repeatedly dismissed. The relationship has also been strained by South Africa’s ongoing genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), launched in 2023 and actively advancing.

Trump announced on Friday that no US officials would attend the G20 summit, scheduled for November 22–23, accusing South Africa of conducting what he falsely labelled a “genocide” against white farmers. He called the summit’s location a “total disgrace” in a rant posted on his Truth Social platform.

Since returning to office in January, Trump has repeatedly pushed the unfounded narrative that white South Africans are being targeted for their race, including claims of widespread attacks and land seizures — allegations South Africa strongly denies.

The South African government has also angered the US with its push for Israeli accountability at the ICJ over alleged genocide in Gaza. The case continues despite a ceasefire, with Pretoria insisting that Israel’s ongoing violations strengthen, rather than weaken, its argument. Israel is expected to file counterarguments by January 12, with hearings likely in 2027 and a final judgment in late 2027 or early 2028.

The ICJ has already issued provisional measures ordering Israel to prevent genocidal acts and allow humanitarian aid into Gaza, but Israel has been accused of failing to comply.

Speaking outside Parliament on Wednesday, Ramaphosa said the US would be isolating itself by skipping the first G20 summit ever hosted on African soil. “All other heads of state will be here. In the end, we will take fundamental decisions, and their absence is their loss,” he said.

He added that Washington is “giving up the very important role that they should be playing as the biggest economy in the world”.

Trump confronted Ramaphosa directly about the alleged targeting of white farmers during their meeting at the White House in May, despite a lack of evidence supporting the claims. During that meeting, Ramaphosa invited him to attend the historic G20 gathering.

Relations between the two countries have deteriorated sharply this year, reaching their lowest point since the end of apartheid. Washington expelled South Africa’s ambassador in March over remarks he made about Trump, further deepening the diplomatic rift.

Critics, including Elon Musk and prominent US conservative commentators, have echoed Trump’s claims, accusing South Africa of being “anti-white” due to affirmative action policies designed to address the inequalities created by apartheid.

Ramaphosa’s government has dismissed the accusations as misinformation rooted in misunderstanding of South Africa’s history and laws.