Donald Trump announced that the US will not attend the G20 summit in South Africa over widely discredited claims that white people are being persecuted in the country.
The US president described it as a total disgrace that South Africa is hosting the meeting, which will gather leaders from the world's largest economies later this month.
South Africa's foreign ministry has called the White House's decision regrettable and pointed out that none of South Africa's political parties have claimed that there is a genocide in the country.
Trump took to social media stating, Afrikaners (people descended from Dutch settlers) are being killed and their farms are being confiscated. No US government official will attend as long as these human rights abuses continue. Initially, he suggested sending Vice President JD Vance instead.
In response, South Africa's government stated that the characterization of Afrikaners as a solely white group is inaccurate and that claims of their persecution lack factual backing.
Since returning to office, Trump has consistently accused South Africa of discriminating against its white minority, reaffirming these views during a confrontation with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in May.
The summit's aim is to address global economic stability, as it includes nations holding over 85% of the world's wealth.
