South Africa has pushed back strongly against comments made by US President Donald Trump questioning the country’s participation in the 2026 G20 meetings, calling his remarks “regrettable” and based on misinformation.
In a sharply worded statement, President Cyril Ramaphosa said South Africa remains a full and legitimate member of the G20, participating “in its own name and right,” and not at the discretion of any single country. He emphasised that South Africa’s seat in the G20 is endorsed by the entire membership of the bloc, which represents the world’s major economies.
The response comes just days after Johannesburg successfully hosted the G20 South Africa 2025 Leaders’ Summit, attended by multiple heads of state and government. The summit was widely praised by participants for its organisation and for producing a declaration reaffirming the importance of multilateral cooperation in tackling global challenges ranging from economic fragility to climate impacts.
The United States did not attend the summit. According to the Presidency, the instruments of the G20 Chair were formally handed to a US Embassy official at South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation, standard practice when a head of state is not available.
Ramaphosa noted that although the US Government opted out of the summit, American businesses and civil society groups were present in large numbers at side events, including the B20 and G20 Social, which bring together private-sector and societal actors.
“South Africa is a sovereign constitutional democracy and does not appreciate insults from another country about its membership and worth in participating in global platforms,” the Presidency said. Ramaphosa added that South Africa respects the sovereignty of all nations and expects the same in return.
The statement also points to efforts made by Pretoria to stabilise relations with Washington after a period of diplomatic strain. Despite those attempts, the Presidency said Trump continues to adopt “punitive measures” against South Africa rooted in “misinformation and distortions.”
South Africa reiterated that it will continue to serve as a “full, active and constructive member” of the G20 and urged all members, including the incoming US presidency, to uphold the forum’s founding principles of consensus, equal participation, and multilateralism.
