‘US Can’t Exclude South Africa from the G20’: Global Allies Push Back Against Trump’s Ban Threat

South Africa has found itself at the centre of an unexpected international showdown after US President Donald Trump announced that the country would be barred from the 2026 G20 Summit and immediately cut off from all US financial support.

What followed, however, was not global alignment with Washington, but a wave of international pushback defending South Africa’s seat at the world’s most powerful economic forum.

🇿🇦 is needed at the table

iMzansi ifuneka etafuleni labaholi pic.twitter.com/WOAl2ptQm6

Andreas Peschke (@AmbPeschke) November 27, 2025

Trump’s Ban: A Diplomatic Earthquake

Trump’s declaration, posted on Truth Social, accused South Africa of “killing white people” and allowing “their farms to be taken from them,” reviving long-debunked narratives often circulated online by fringe groups and far-right influencers.

He went further, alleging that the South African government condones “genocide,” and that the country “shouldn’t be in the G’s anymore.”

The reaction was swift and almost universally critical.

FW de Klerk Foundation: “South Africa Will Not Be Bullied Out of Global Forums”

In a firm statement, the FW de Klerk Foundation dismissed Trump’s claims as “wholly false allegations” and “a torrent of disinformation.”

Their key message?
No single country, not even the United States, has the authority to kick another member out of the G20.

The Foundation reminded the public of what many may not know:

• G20 membership is based on consensus, not invitations.

• The host country cannot remove another member.

• The US has no unilateral powers over the forum.

Their tone reflected a growing sentiment in South African political spaces, irritation mixed with a defensive pride in the country’s sovereignty.

Global Diplomats Step In: “The US Is Only Chairing, Not Owning, the G20”

Support for South Africa also came from unexpected corners of the world.

Kanwal Sibal, India’s former Foreign Secretary, criticised Trump directly, saying he “seeks to decimate the G20” by making threats outside the body’s rules.

He added that Trump’s use of the word “genocide” was selective and racially charged, pointing out the inflammatory undertone in his remarks.

Even Germany’s Ambassador to South Africa joined the chorus, writing on X in English and isiXhosa:

“South Africa is needed at the table. iMzansi ifuneka etafuleni labaholi.”

It was a rare show of multilingual solidarity, and it did not go unnoticed by South Africans online.

EFF: “Trump Is Simply Throwing A Tantrum”

Local political reactions ranged from diplomatic to outright dismissive.
The EFF accused Trump of having an ego bruised by South Africa’s successful hosting of the recent G20 Summit in Johannesburg, a summit he declined to attend, then tried to join too late.

According to the EFF:

• Trump refused to attend the summit.

• When he changed his mind, world leaders had already moved on.

• South Africa executed the presidency handover smoothly without him.

In their words, the ban was nothing more than “a tantrum” rooted in embarrassment, not policy.

The EFF’s Statement on Trump’s “Ban” on South Africa From G20 2026

-Despite the U.S’s absence, South Africa successfully secured a full Leaders’ Declaration, something Trump believed would collapse without American participation. When the time came for the handover of the… pic.twitter.com/liBMR9AIz9

Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) November 27, 2025

Why Relations Were Already Strained

The fallout didn’t come out of nowhere. Tensions between Pretoria and Washington have simmered for months over:

• South Africa’s close ties with China and Russia through BRICS

• Pretoria’s criticism of Western foreign policy

• SA’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice

• Ongoing disputes over US trade interests in Africa

The US has already taken punitive steps, including revoking former foreign minister Naledi Pandor’s visa and boycotting parts of the Johannesburg G20.

A bill in US Congress, AGOA Extension and Bilateral Engagement Act (AGOA 2.0) now proposes to extend AGOA for two years but exclude South Africa, linking trade benefits to alignment with US interests.

For a country that depends heavily on AGOA-linked exports, it’s a significant warning shot.

Trump seeks to decimate the G20.

The US is only presiding the G 20 next year. It doesn’t have the authority to unilaterally exclude any member from participation.

Is abusing the word genocide very selectively. There is regrettably an open racial tone in what he is saying. https://t.co/Edyarro604

Kanwal Sibal (@KanwalSibal) November 27, 2025

Pretoria Responds: “South Africa Is Not Going Anywhere”

Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya reiterated government’s position:
South Africa remains a full, active and constructive member of the G20 and no amount of political pressure will change that.

Pretoria also corrected Trump’s claim that South Africa mishandled the G20 Presidency handover. Since the US skipped the summit, the presidency instruments were formally transferred to the US Embassy via DIRCO, following G20 protocol.

In other words, the handover did happen.
Just not with the drama Trump expected.

Public Reaction: South Africans Aren’t Shocked, They’re Tired

Local social media was unsurprised by Trump’s remarks. Many South Africans described the US President’s comments as recycled misinformation frequently shared by foreigners who misunderstand SA’s history, land reform debates, and political dynamics.

South Africans joked, debated, and criticised, but many also acknowledged a deeper fatigue with being repeatedly misrepresented on global platforms.

One user wrote on X:

“Every few months, someone outside SA tells us more about our own country than we know. Meanwhile, we just want electricity and working trains.”

What Happens Now?

Legally, Trump cannot unilaterally remove South Africa from the G20.
Diplomatically, though, his threats signal a potentially sharper turn in US–South Africa relations.

The question now is whether this marks the beginning of a broader geopolitical realignment or simply another dramatic Trump episode that will fade when the next story breaks.

Either way, South Africa’s global allies have made one thing clear:
Pretoria is not standing alone on this one.

And for a country often caught between East and West, that solidarity may matter more than the tantrum that sparked it.

{Source: IOL}

Follow Joburg ETC on Facebook, Twitter , TikTok and Instagram

For more News in Johannesburg, visit joburgetc.com