Overview
- Trump announced no U.S. officials will attend the Nov. 22–23 Johannesburg summit, citing “human rights abuses.”
- Vice President J.D. Vance, previously slated to represent the U.S., will not travel, according to a person familiar with his plans.
- South African leaders, including President Cyril Ramaphosa, reject the allegations as false and note white citizens have higher average living standards than Black residents.
- The administration last week set a 7,500 cap on FY2026 refugee admissions, with most slots for white South Africans, according to a Federal Register notice.
- Trump has said South Africa should be removed from the G20 and that he looks forward to hosting the 2026 summit in Miami, underscoring frayed ties as the U.S. is slated to assume the presidency next year.