US President Donald Trump is likely to skip this year’s G-20 summit in South Africa, Bloomberg reported, citing Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who pointed to Pretoria’s repeated opposition to American interests on the global stage.
“We chose not to participate in this year’s G-20, hosted by South Africa, either at the foreign ministers level or the presidents level,” Rubio said Tuesday during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing. “They clearly, on the global stage and in multiple multinational organizations, have consistently been a vote against America’s interests time and again,” he added.
South Africa’s stance at international forums, especially its case at the International Court of Justice accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza, has drawn criticism from Washington.
Rubio called the position “not just off balance, but completely geared towards one side,” and raised concerns about potential foreign influence, including from Iran.
Trump himself was non-committal when asked about attending the summit. “South Africa’s out of control and it’s been out of control for a long time,” Trump said on May 16. “I’m not sure, I’m really not sure.”
Despite tensions, Trump is set to meet with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at the White House on Wednesday, as Pretoria seeks to reset ties.
Issues include US concerns about the treatment of white Afrikaner farmers, with the administration offering refugee status to members of the minority group.
Meanwhile, South Africa may offer Pretoria-born Elon Musk a regulatory exemption for his Starlink internet service.
Ramaphosa emphasized economic cooperation during his Washington visit, with a 30 per cent reciprocal US tariff temporarily suspended as both sides work on a new trade framework. With unemployment above 30 per cent and growth under 1 per cent, analysts say Ramaphosa is prioritizing economic ties over political disputes.
According to Bloomberg, US engagement with the G-20 under South Africa’s presidency has been minimal. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent skipped the first finance ministers’ meeting, and the Washington Post reported the National Security Council directed agencies to pause participation.
South African officials say the US is still engaged and that the invitation for Trump remains open. “It’s still a long time between now and November,” a spokesman said.
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