President Donald Trump said Friday he will not attend this year’s Group of 20 summit in South Africa, confirming long-standing speculation.
“I won’t be going this year,” Trump told reporters, citing tensions with South African leaders. Vice President JD Vance will represent the U.S. at the November gathering in Johannesburg.
Trump Doral Plans to Host 2026 G20 Summit
Trump added that next year’s G20 will be held at his family-owned Doral golf resort near Miami. He dismissed concerns about profiting from the event, saying, “There’s no money in it. But we want to make sure it’s good.”
During his first term, Trump proposed hosting a global summit at his Doral resort but abandoned the plan after facing criticism from Republicans over potential conflicts of interest. He said organizers had asked that the event be held at his club.
“Well, I think everybody wants it there,” Trump said Friday when asked if the global summit would be at his golf club and spa. He had previously announced that it would be in the city of Miami.
The U.S. last hosted a G20 summit in Pittsburgh in 2009. Trump said each delegation “will have its own building.”
Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, who joined Friday’s Oval Office announcement, said hosting the G20 would “put us on the global map” and bring “a tremendous boom” to the local economy.
Trump’s Issues with South African Leaders
Donald Trump’s relationship with South African leadership has been deeply strained amid sharp disagreements over land reform and allegations of racial persecution. Early in his second term, Trump suspended all U.S. aid to South Africa and launched a refugee program specifically for white Afrikaners, claiming they were victims of “race-based discrimination.”
Tensions peaked during an Oval Office meeting in May when Trump confronted President Cyril Ramaphosa by dimming the lights and presenting a video montage—intended to support false claims of “white genocide” in South Africa. Ramaphosa, maintaining composure, firmly denied such allegations and called for a reset in bilateral relations, though the encounter highlighted the deep policy rifts.
Beyond the political theater, Trump further escalated tensions by re-imposing tariffs on South African goods and publicly condemning its leadership—moves that prompted the country to denounce his approach as misinformed and insensitive to its historical context of colonialism and apartheid.
President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, Sept. 5, 2025, in Washington, as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Miami Mayor Francis Suarez listen.
President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, Sept. 5, 2025, in Washington, as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Miami Mayor Francis Suarez listen.
Associated Press
What is the G20?
The Group of 20, or G20, is an international forum that brings together the world’s major economies to discuss global economic policy, trade, and financial stability. Founded in 1999 after the Asian financial crisis, it includes 19 countries and the European Union, representing about 85% of global GDP and two-thirds of the world’s population.
The summit is held annually and serves as a venue for leaders to coordinate responses to economic crises, climate change, and geopolitical challenges. While not a formal international organization with binding authority, its communiqués often shape global priorities and reflect consensus among advanced and emerging economies alike.
Updates: 9/5/25, 5:58 p.m. ET: This article was updated with new information and remarks.
Updates: 9/5/25, 6:58 p.m. ET: This article was updated with new information and remarks.
Updates: 9/5/25, 7:46 p.m. ET: This article was updated with new information and remarks.
