Donald Trump has announced that the US will not attend the G20 summit in South Africa due to unverified claims regarding the persecution of white people in the region. Trump labeled the decision to hold the summit in South Africa as a 'total disgrace.'
The White House's decision to boycott the event was met with disappointment from South Africa's foreign ministry, which called the US rationale 'regrettable.'
Trump made his announcement on social media, echoing previous assertions that Afrikaners are being killed and their lands confiscated, a claim that lacks endorsement from South Africa's political parties and has been dismissed by various fact-checkers.
The South African government has contested Trump's portrayal of the situation, noting that such claims of genocide against the Afrikaner community are unsupported by credible evidence.
Upon taking office, Trump has consistently referenced these allegations, even granting Afrikaners special refugee status based on his administration's assessment of human rights abuses in South Africa. This policy decision has spurred further tension, especially following recent announcements to prioritize white South African refugees amidst a general cut in refugee admissions.
As the G20 summit approaches, the absence of US representation could signal a significant diplomatic rift between the nations, with repercussions likely to affect discussions on global economic stability.
