By: The Trek News Desk
US President Donald Trump has declared that no American officials will attend this year’s G20 summit in South Africa, citing the country’s treatment of white farmers. Trump has repeatedly claimed, without evidence, that white South Africans are facing persecution.
Trump’s Statement
On Friday, Trump took to his social media platform Truth Social to say, “It is a total disgrace that the G20 will be held in South Africa. Afrikaners, descendants of Dutch, French, and German settlers, are being killed, and their farms and land are being illegally seized.”
He added, “No US government official will attend as long as these human rights violations continue. I look forward to hosting the 2026 G20 in Miami, Florida.”
Rising Tensions Between the US and South Africa
Tensions between the two countries escalated earlier this year after President Cyril Ramaphosa introduced legislation aimed at addressing historical land ownership inequalities. The law allows the state to expropriate land in certain cases, though Ramaphosa emphasises that it is a framework for fair redistribution, not confiscation.
Trump criticised the move, calling it “severe mistreatment and land seizure” targeting specific groups. Since returning to the White House in January, he has repeatedly framed white South Africans as victims of systemic persecution, a claim firmly rejected by South African authorities and Afrikaner leaders.
Refugee Policy and White Afrikaners
In May, the Trump administration granted asylum to 59 white South Africans, describing it as a measure to protect victims of racial discrimination. During the same month, Trump confronted Ramaphosa at the White House, again alleging a “white Afrikaner genocide.”
Ramaphosa dismissed the claims, pointing out three prominent white South Africans, professional golfers Ernie Els and Retief Goosen, and billionaire Johann Rupert, attending the meeting, saying, “If there were a genocide of Afrikaner farmers, these men would not be here.”
Expert Analysis
Cambridge University historian Saul Dubow has called Trump’s “white genocide” claims baseless. Dubow also suggested that Trump’s anger may be partly tied to South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice over the conflict in Gaza.
US Refugee Admissions Policy
Despite these claims, the Trump administration continues to frame white South Africans as targeted victims. On October 30, the White House announced that the majority of new refugee admissions to the US would prioritise Afrikaners, while reducing the overall annual refugee cap to 7,500.
The White House explained, “Admission slots will primarily be allocated to Afrikaners from South Africa and other individuals who have suffered illegal or unjust discrimination in their home countries.”
Source: News Agencies
