Overview
- President Trump said no government officials will attend the Nov. 22–23 summit in Johannesburg, and Vice President J.D. Vance will not travel.
- South Africa’s foreign ministry called the decision regrettable and said claims of persecution of Afrikaners are not supported by facts, echoing President Cyril Ramaphosa’s denial.
- The administration recently set a record-low U.S. refugee cap of 7,500 for FY2026 with most slots prioritized for white South Africans, according to a Federal Register notice.
- The White House had earlier instructed agencies to halt G20-related work, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio skipped a ministerial meeting this year.
- The summit is expected to proceed without U.S. representation as Washington prepares to host the G20 in 2026 in Miami.