US President Donald Trump stated on Wednesday that South Africa should no longer be part of the G20 and announced he will not attend the upcoming summit in Johannesburg.
"South Africa shouldn't even be in the G's anymore, because what's happened there is bad," Trump told the American Business Forum in Miami.
He added, "I'm not going to represent our country there. It shouldn't be there," referring to the G20 Johannesburg Summit scheduled for November.
Trump has repeatedly criticized South Africa for land confiscations and mistreatment of certain groups, calling it "a massive human rights violation."
"How could we be expected to go to South Africa for the very important G20 meeting when land confiscation and genocide are the primary topics of conversation?" he said in April.
In February, Trump signed Executive Order 14204, which directs federal agencies to assist with the resettlement of white South African Afrikaners, described as “victims of unjust racial discrimination,” and to reduce US aid to South Africa.
The South African government dismissed Trump's claims, stating they are "based on a premise that is factually inaccurate."
"They rest on a premise that is factually inaccurate."
Author's summary: President Trump ruled out attending the G20 summit in South Africa, criticizing the country for land policies and human rights concerns while the South African government denies these allegations.