Cape Town — The United States will be represented by Vice President JD Vance at the upcoming G20 Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, as former President Donald Trump has announced he will not attend the event. This decision comes amidst ongoing tensions between the US and South Africa, primarily centered on Trump’s claims of genocide against white farmers in the country, which the South African government has strongly denied.

The G20 Summit, scheduled for November, will be the first to be held on the African continent and will see the US taking over as the G20 presidency. The event brings together the world’s largest economies to discuss global economic policies, with this year’s theme focusing on Solidarity, Equality, and Sustainability. Despite the significance of the summit, Trump’s absence was not entirely unexpected, given the current state of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Trump’s decision to skip the summit was announced from the White House Oval Office, where he stated that Vice President Vance would represent the US in his place. This move follows efforts by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa earlier this year to engage with Trump and negotiate before the US administration’s reciprocal tariffs took effect.

The former President also used the occasion to announce that the 2026 G20 Summit will be hosted at his Miami golf resort, Trump National Doral, in Florida. South African officials have welcomed Vice President Vance’s participation, emphasizing that the success of the summit lies in substantive discussions rather than the presence of any single leader. According to South Africa’s International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola, the US is free to assign any representative it deems necessary, and the country looks forward to interacting with them on the G20 platforms.

The summit’s outcome is anticipated to be significant, with discussions focusing on global economic policies and the theme of Solidarity, Equality, and Sustainability. Despite the tensions between the US and South Africa, officials remain optimistic about the potential for ambitious outcomes from the event. As the first G20 Summit to be held on the African continent, the event is seen as an important opportunity for international cooperation and discussion on key global issues.