Johannesburg, South Africa – November 21, 2025 – The United States has bluntly shot down President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement that Washington had changed its mind and would attend the G20 Summit, insisting the boycott ordered by Donald Trump remains fully in place.
Just 24 hours before world leaders gather in Johannesburg, Ramaphosa told reporters alongside EU chiefs Ursula von der Leyen and António Costa that the US had informed Pretoria “at the 11th hour” of a possible shift in position and would participate “in one shape, form or other.”
Within hours the White House hit back hard. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called the reports “fake news” and accused Ramaphosa of “running his mouth.” She confirmed the only American who will set foot in the summit venue will be the acting ambassador or chargé d’affaires, and even then solely to accept the ceremonial handover of the G20 presidency at the very end of proceedings. That official will not take part in any talks, negotiations, or photo sessions.
President Trump announced the full boycott earlier this month, branding the decision to hold the summit in South Africa “a total disgrace” and repeating his long-standing claim that white farmers in South Africa are being persecuted. South African authorities have repeatedly rejected those allegations as completely unfounded.
Ramaphosa had earlier shrugged off the boycott, saying no G20 summit in history has ever had 100 % attendance from heads of state, adding that “boycott politics never work and that South Africa would simply hand the presidency to an “empty chair” if necessary while still addressing Trump directly.
The White House made clear the limited diplomatic presence changes nothing. The United States will not engage in any substantive part of the Johannesburg summit. Senior officials say Trump wants the controversy around South Africa’s land policies and its G20 agenda kept in the spotlight ahead of America taking over the presidency in 2026.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, several European leaders, and UN Secretary-General António Guterres are all confirmed to attend in person. The summit remains on track to produce a full leaders’ declaration despite the American absence.
The public clash between Ramaphosa’s optimistic announcement and the White House’s immediate slap-down has provided last-minute drama to what was already the most controversial G20 in years.
