The United States has announced that no U.S. officials will attend the upcoming G20 Summit hosted by South Africa. President Trump cited "human rights" concerns for this decision. Vice President JD Vance had initially been scheduled to attend.
U.S. Stance and Allegations
President Trump stated on Truth Social that "Afrikaners are being killed and slaughtered, and their land and farms are being illegally confiscated." He previously suggested South Africa should be removed from "the gs." Since returning to office, the Trump administration has been critical of South Africa. This has included an instance where President Trump accused South African President Cyril Ramaphosa of seizing white-owned land during a White House visit in May. The administration has also implemented measures such as cutting aid, expelling the South African ambassador, imposing 30 percent tariffs, and prioritizing Afrikaners for fast-track refugee status in the U.S., while reducing refugee admissions from other countries. These actions have been accompanied by claims of a "white genocide" in South Africa.
South African Government and Afrikaner Responses
The South African government has provided statistics to counter these claims, indicating that Black individuals are disproportionately affected by violent crime and that white populations continue to own the majority of commercial farmland.
Additionally, a group of over 40 prominent Afrikaners, including writers, journalists, musicians, and academics, issued an open letter last month. This letter stated: "We reject the narrative that casts Afrikaners as victims of racial persecution in post-apartheid South Africa. We are not pawns in America's culture wars." The signatories acknowledged the historical role of their ancestors in colonizing the country and establishing the apartheid system. They emphasized their commitment to building post-apartheid South Africa and expressed concern that being singled out as victims could harm existing relationships within the country.
Journalist Max du Preez, a signatory, stated that there is "no genocide in South Africa" and "no persecution of anyone based on race," highlighting the constitutional protection of human rights. He also stated that "not a single square inch of white-owned land has been confiscated" since 1994.
Agricultural organizations representing white farmers have indicated that U.S. sanctions on South Africa could negatively impact their businesses. Christo van der Rheede, who leads the FW De Klerk Foundation, urged unity among South Africans to refute statements concerning Afrikaner killings or land confiscation, labeling them as "simply not true." He also suggested the U.S. reconsider its G20 boycott, citing potential negative impacts on U.S. business interests.
Diverse Perspectives and International Context
While some Afrikaner groups have traveled to the U.S. to promote a "white genocide" narrative and lobby U.S. lawmakers, others within the Afrikaner community have openly rejected these claims.
The South African government issued a statement acknowledging the U.S. announcement. Chrispin Phiri, spokesman for the Department of International Relations, noted that the absence of the U.S. would affect the U.S. itself rather than the entire G20. The summit's theme is "solidarity, equality and sustainability," a theme that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio criticized, linking it to "DEI and climate change."