White House: U.S. Attends G20 Handover but Skips Summit Talks/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ The U.S. will attend the G20 handover ceremony in Johannesburg but will not participate in any negotiations, reaffirming its boycott of the summit. President Trump cited alleged discrimination against white Afrikaners as the reason for the withdrawal. South Africa confirmed that the summit will still issue a joint declaration despite U.S. objections.
Quick Look
- U.S. Embassy representative will attend G20 handover only.
- Washington maintains full boycott of all talks and negotiations.
- Trump cites alleged race-based persecution in South Africa as cause.
- Ramaphosa welcomes limited U.S. participation but rejects pressure.
- U.S. pushed to block joint declaration; South Africa refused.
- Summit focuses on climate resilience, debt relief, and inequality.
- Rubio skipped earlier G20 events, calling agenda a waste of funds.
- Other major leaders absent but sent delegations; U.S. only nation not engaging at all.
US to Attend G20 Handover Ceremony in South Africa—But Will Skip Official Talks
Deep Look
JOHANNESBURG — A U.S. Embassy representative will attend the official G20 handover ceremony this weekend in Johannesburg, South Africa, marking a limited American presence at the high-profile summit. However, the United States will still not participate in any formal negotiations or discussions, a White House official confirmed Thursday.
The move follows confusion sparked by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s earlier comments that Washington had changed its mind “at the 11th hour” and would rejoin the summit. The White House quickly clarified that while a representative would be present for protocol’s sake, there was no reversal of the boycott decision announced by President Donald Trump earlier this month.
Background on the Boycott
President Trump had previously declared that the U.S. would not attend the G20 summit in protest of what he described as “race-based persecution” of white Afrikaners in South Africa—a claim widely criticized as unsubstantiated and inflammatory. The boycott marks a rare diplomatic snub in G20 history and has strained relations between the two nations.
Traditionally, the outgoing host country formally passes the G20 presidency to the next chair at the conclusion of the summit. South Africa, the first African nation to hold the rotating presidency, is scheduled to hand over leadership of the group to the United States for 2026.
Ramaphosa had expressed disappointment over the U.S. boycott, saying earlier that he expected to hand over the G20 role “to an empty chair.”
But on Thursday, he struck a more optimistic tone.
“The United States is a founding member of the G20,” Ramaphosa said. “They have a right to be here. All we are doing now is working out the practicalities of how they will participate in the handover.”
U.S. Remains Firm: No Talks, No Declaration
Despite Ramaphosa’s remarks, a senior U.S. official—speaking on condition of anonymity—reiterated that Washington would not engage in any summit talks or contribute to policy agreements.
Tensions between the U.S. and South Africa have grown in recent months. According to South African officials, the U.S. communicated earlier this week that no joint declaration should be issued from the summit since it would lack full consensus without American input.
Instead, the U.S. has called for a modest closing statement authored solely by the South African host delegation.
Ramaphosa dismissed the pressure and confirmed that a full joint declaration is on track.
“We will not be bullied,” he said. “The talks are going extremely well. We’re just dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s.”
Trump and South Africa’s Tense Relations
Since returning to office, President Trump has escalated rhetoric against South Africa, accusing Ramaphosa’s government of pursuing anti-white policies—a claim unsupported by international observers. Trump reportedly raised these concerns directly during a tense meeting with Ramaphosa at the White House earlier this year.
The rhetoric has triggered backlash not only from South Africa but from other G20 members, who see the U.S. absence as a disruption to unity efforts within the group.
“Without the United States, the G20 process is still moving forward,” said Ramaphosa.
South African G20 ambassador Xolisa Mabhongo echoed the sentiment in a national interview this week, saying, “The only country not in the room is the United States—and that is their choice.”
Broader Summit Context
The 2025 G20 summit marks a pivotal moment for South Africa as it concludes its historic presidency of the influential global bloc. More than 120 preparatory meetings have taken place throughout the year, and the summit’s agenda reflects a focus on global equity, climate resilience, and debt relief for developing nations.
South Africa’s priorities have included:
- Addressing climate-related natural disasters
- Reducing global wealth inequality
- Reforming the global financial system to benefit emerging economies
- Expanding access to sustainable development funding
U.S. officials, however, have expressed skepticism of these themes. Secretary of State Marco Rubio skipped a G20 foreign ministers meeting earlier this year, dismissing the summit’s agenda as “a waste of U.S. taxpayer money,” and criticizing its focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, and environmental concerns.
U.S. Is Not Alone in Absence
Though Washington’s boycott is the most politically charged, other major world leaders have also chosen to skip the summit:
- Chinese President Xi Jinping
- Russian President Vladimir Putin
- Argentine President Javier Milei
Each has sent a delegation in their place. Only the United States has declined to send a high-level representative or engage in talks.
Looking Ahead: U.S. Presidency of G20 in 2026
The U.S. is set to assume the G20 presidency in 2026. Despite the political drama, South Africa is proceeding with the formal transfer of leadership to the United States during the handover ceremony this weekend. The question remains: how will Washington’s strained relationships affect its upcoming role?
For now, the Biden administration continues to walk a diplomatic tightrope—balancing Trump’s hardline stance on South Africa with the need to maintain credibility on the world stage.
Key Takeaways:
- U.S. representative will attend G20 handover but skip summit talks.
- Trump maintains boycott over claims of anti-white discrimination in South Africa.
- Ramaphosa insists the G20 will issue a full declaration despite U.S. pressure.
- Tensions between Washington and Pretoria may complicate U.S. presidency of G20 in 2026.
- Other global leaders are absent, but only the U.S. has refused to send a senior delegation.
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