Washington (TDI): US President Donald Trump, on Wednesday, declared that South Africa will not be invited to participate in the 2026 G20 meetings, which the United States is set to host in Miami, Florida.
This decision marks the first time a country has been disinvited from the global forum since its inception more than two decades ago. Trump also announced that all remaining US payments and subsidies to South Africa would be halted immediately.
The diplomatic fallout stems from tensions at the most recent G20 summit, which the United States chose to boycott. Trump claimed the decision was driven by South Africa’s alleged mistreatment of a US representative during the handover of the G20 presidency, accusations South African officials strongly deny.
In a social media post, Trump wrote, “South Africa will NOT be receiving an invitation to the 2026 G20. South Africa has demonstrated to the world it is not a country worthy of membership anywhere.”
South Africa Responds: “We Do Not Appreciate Insults.” President Cyril Ramaphosa called Trump’s statement “regrettable.” The South African presidency also added “South Africa is a sovereign constitutional democracy and does not appreciate insults from another country about its worth in participating in global platforms.”
Read More: First African G20 Summit Opens in Johannesburg, Shadowed By Trump’s Boycott
The move further strains relations between Washington and Pretoria, which have been tense since Trump returned to office.
Meanwhile, reports indicate that the US administration plans to invite Poland to participate at an elevated level in the 2026 G20 meetings. Poland, whose president maintains a close relationship with Trump, is actively seeking G20 membership.
Karol Nawrocki, after a September meeting with Trump, confirmed that he had been invited to the 2026 summit, scheduled to be held at Trump’s Doral, Florida, golf resort in December 2026.
South African officials say they are awaiting formal diplomatic communication before responding further. “Until we receive formal notification, we consider all talk to be speculation,” presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya told CNN.
The G20, which brings together the world’s major economies, has never experienced the outright exclusion of a member, leaving uncertainty over how the group will navigate these tensions ahead of the 2026 summit.
Minahil Khurshid
Minahil Khurshid holds a Master's in Peace and Conflict Studies from NUST. She is passionate about current affairs, public policy, and geopolitics.
