President Cyril Ramaphosa vs US President Donald Trump
By Thabo Mosia
President Cyril Ramaphosa has hit back at US President Donald Trump’s comments on South Africa’s role in global forums, calling them regrettable and based on wrong information. In a strong statement, Ramaphosa made it clear that South Africa is a founding member of the G20 and cannot be kicked out by one country. This comes after Trump posted on his Truth Social platform, saying South Africa would not get an invite to the 2026 G20 summit in the US and ordering a stop to all American aid and subsidies.
The row has put a spotlight on the rocky relationship between Pretoria and Washington, especially after the US skipped the 2025 G20 summit hosted by South Africa. Ramaphosa stressed that his government tried many times to fix ties with the US, but Trump’s latest steps show a punishing approach grounded in false claims.
The G20 Summit Success Despite US Absence
Ramaphosa pointed out that the G20 South Africa 2025 Leaders’ Summit, held in Johannesburg from 22 to 23 November, was a big win. Leaders from around the world who came called it one of the best summits ever. The event ended with a declaration that showed the power of working together to tackle big world problems.
The summit focused on things like fixing global inequality, fighting climate change, and boosting Africa’s growth. It mentioned Africa 52 times in the final document, showing a strong push for the continent’s needs. Ramaphosa said this proved how important multilateralism is – where countries team up on equal terms.
The US did not send anyone to the summit, which meant the usual handover of the G20 presidency did not happen in the normal way. Instead, South Africa gave the tools of the presidency to a US embassy official at the Department of International Relations and Cooperation headquarters. Ramaphosa said the US was welcome to join all meetings during South Africa’s year in charge but chose not to come to the leaders’ gathering on its own.
Trump’s Claims and South Africa’s Firm Stand
In his Truth Social post, Trump said the US skipped the Johannesburg summit because South Africa ignores human rights abuses against white farmers, mainly Afrikaners and others from Dutch, French, and German roots. He claimed the government lets white people get killed and their farms taken away, calling it a genocide that media like the New York Times hides. Trump also slammed South Africa for not handing the G20 presidency to a senior US embassy person at the closing event.
Because of this, Trump said South Africa would not get an invite to the 2026 G20, which the US will host in Doral, Florida – not Miami as he wrote – at his own golf club. He added that the US would stop all payments and subsidies right away, saying South Africa has shown the world it is not worthy of being in any group.
Ramaphosa called these words an insult from another country about South Africa’s worth in global talks. He said South Africa is a sovereign constitutional democracy and does not like such attacks. The president made it clear that South Africa respects other countries’ freedom and would never put down another nation or its place in the world.
South Africa helped start the G20 and joins in its own name and right. Its spot in the group comes from all members agreeing, not just one deciding. Ramaphosa said South Africa will keep being a full, active, and helpful member of the G20. He called on other members to stick to the spirit of working together, based on agreement, with everyone taking part equally in all parts.
Efforts to Reset Ties and Punitive Steps
Ramaphosa said it is sad that even after many tries by him and his team to start fresh with the US, Trump keeps taking punishing steps against South Africa. These are based on wrong info and twisted views about the country. South Africa has always valued the idea of agreement, teamwork, and partnership that makes the G20 the top spot for world economic talks.
The president noted that while the US government stayed away, American businesses and community groups came in big numbers to G20 events like the B20 for business and G20 Social. South Africa is thankful for their input and sees it as important.
Global Reactions and What It Means for Future Talks
Leaders from other countries who went to the Johannesburg summit have backed South Africa’s handling of the event. Many praised Ramaphosa for a year of good leadership, focusing on Africa’s needs and global fairness. The final statement from the summit showed plans to keep working with the US in 2026 and meet in the UK in 2027, but some see this as a careful way to handle worries about America’s turn.
Now, other G20 leaders face a tough choice: will they go to the 2026 summit if South Africa is left out? There is talk of standing with South Africa, maybe by not going to Florida or pushing for the meeting to be somewhere else. This could be like past times when countries moved big meetings to show support, such as a UN gathering shifted to Geneva in the 1970s after the US blocked a leader.
Experts say Trump’s move might hurt the US more, making it look alone in world groups. The G20 is meant for teamwork, and kicking out a member could break that. The three-way group of past, current, and next hosts – South Africa, the US, and the UK – must work closely, but with no US team at Johannesburg, simple things like handing over the G20 website are in doubt.
For South Africa, this shows a push to build stronger ties outside the West. The 2025 summit talked a lot about investing in Africa’s resources, from mining to making things, pointing to a focus on standing on its own.
Aid Cuts and Economic Effects
Trump’s call to stop all US payments builds on earlier steps in 2025, when he paused most help through an order. South Africa got more than $6 billion from US taxpayers over the last ten years, mostly for health, learning, and growth. In recent years, this included big sums for fighting HIV through PEPFAR.
A full stop could hurt hard, slowing work on diseases, schools, and jobs. But some help, like a recent $4.6 billion to a world fund, has kept going despite threats. South Africa has made clear it will keep taking part in world money groups and push for fair deals.
There are also worries about trade. A push in the US Congress wants to drop South Africa from a special trade plan that lets goods in without extra taxes. A stalled trade agreement between the two countries adds to the strain.
Looking Ahead for South Africa-US Ties
A key choice for South Africa is whether to accept the next US ambassador, a close Trump friend who cleared a committee but waits for full okay. This comes after South Africa sent away the last US ambassador earlier in 2025 over other issues.
‘Not Worthy of Membership’: Trump Says South Africa Banned From Next G20 and U.S. Funding Halted
