President Donald Trump declared that no US officials would go to the G20 summit in South Africa. This brought back false claims that white Afrikaners were being “killed and slaughtered” in the country.
In September, Trump stated that Vice President JD Vance would go to the meeting later this month instead of him. Now, though, he says that US officials will not go at all, according to AFP.
Trump wrote on his Truth Social network, “It is a total disgrace that the G20 will be held in South Africa.”
“We will not send any U.S. government officials as long as these human rights abuses keep happening.”
Trump added the Afrikaners, who are the descendants of the first Europeans to settle in South Africa, “are being killed and slaughtered, and their land and farms are being taken away without permission.”
He also said he was excited to host the G20 conference in the US in 2026. The billionaire US president would controversially convene the event at his own golf property in Miami, Florida.
The South African foreign ministry said Trump’s statements were “regrettable” and that it was looking forward to holding a “successful” summit on November 22 and 23.
It is not true to say that Afrikaners are only white people. In addition, the statement claimed, “there is no evidence to support the claim that this community is being persecuted.”
The theme for Pretoria’s G20 presidency is “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability,” but some people, especially Washington, don’t like it.
The foreign ministry added, “South Africa’s focus remains on its positive global contributions.”
“Our country is in a unique position to lead the G20 in a future of real solidarity because of our own journey from racial and ethnic division to democracy.”
“Genocide of white people”
Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has singled out South Africa for severe treatment on a variety of subjects, the most important of which are his bogus allegations of a “white genocide” in the country.
Earlier this year, he surprised South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in the Oval Office by showing him a film in which he claimed that the post-apartheid government was waging a war against white farmers.
The government of South Africa says there is no such policy.
Last week, Trump’s administration said they would severely cut the number of refugees the US accepts each year to a historic low of 7,500. They also said they would give precedence to white South Africans.
There have also been disagreements between the two countries regarding South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, the UN’s highest court, for genocide in Gaza.
In the meantime, Trump has put 30 percent tariffs on South Africa, which is the highest in sub-Saharan Africa.
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