President Donald Trump announced on Friday that no US government officials will attend the upcoming Group of 20 summit in South Africa, scheduled for November 22-23. He cited concerns over the treatment of white farmers in the country as the reason for this decision.

Trump had previously stated he would not attend the summit himself. Vice President JD Vance was expected to represent the US, but sources revealed he will also not be going. Trump expressed his discontent on social media, stating, "It is a total disgrace that the G20 will be held in South Africa," and accused the South African government of committing "abuses" against white Afrikaners, including land seizures and violence.

The Trump administration has long criticized South Africa for its treatment of minority white farmers, alleging that they face discrimination and violence. Earlier this year, the administration announced a significant reduction in the annual refugee cap to 7,500, prioritizing white South Africans who they claim are persecuted in their home country.

In response, South African officials have dismissed these allegations, asserting that white citizens generally enjoy a higher standard of living than many Black South Africans, more than three decades after the end of apartheid. President Cyril Ramaphosa stated that he informed Trump that the claims of systematic persecution are "completely false."

Despite the ongoing diplomatic tensions, Trump has maintained his stance. In a recent speech in Miami, he suggested that South Africa should be expelled from the G20. This follows Secretary of State Marco Rubio's boycott of a G20 foreign ministers' meeting earlier this year, which he objected to due to its focus on diversity and climate change issues. The United States is set to assume the G20 presidency from South Africa in the near future.