WASHINGTON (FN) — President Donald Trump’s decision to boycott the 2025 Group of 20 summit in South Africa has drawn sharp criticism from global leaders and human rights groups, reigniting debate over land reform and racial politics in the region. The White House cited alleged human rights abuses against white South African farmers as the reason for the boycott, a claim South African officials have strongly denied.
Trump said Friday that no U.S. government official would attend the Nov. 22–23 summit in Johannesburg “as long as these Human Rights abuses continue.” His administration has made South Africa’s Black-led government a frequent target since his return to office, accusing it of racial discrimination and hostility toward U.S. allies.
In February, Trump issued an executive order halting U.S. financial assistance to South Africa, citing its treatment of Afrikaners. His administration also prioritized Afrikaners for refugee status, allocating most of the 7,500 slots available this fiscal year to members of the group.
South Africa’s government, along with prominent Afrikaners, dismissed Trump’s claims as baseless. An open letter from Afrikaner business leaders and academics called the narrative of racial persecution “misleading,” emphasizing that Afrikaners remain active in all sectors of society, including government, business, and sports.
Afrikaners, descendants of Dutch, French, and German settlers, were central to the apartheid regime from 1948 to 1994. While some supported the system, others opposed it. Today, Afrikaners number around 2.7 million in a population of 62 million and speak Afrikaans, one of South Africa’s 12 official languages.
Trump claimed Afrikaners were being “killed and slaughtered” and that their land was being “illegally confiscated.” These remarks refer to a small number of farm attacks, which experts say are driven by robbery, not race. In 2024, South Africa recorded 26,000 homicides, including 37 farm murders.
The president also criticized a proposed law allowing land expropriation without compensation, which has stirred debate but has not led to actual confiscations. Trump first raised these concerns during his first term, prompted by commentary on conservative media, but no U.S. investigation found evidence of systemic abuse.
Trump’s boycott drew international criticism. The African Union called it an affront to African sovereignty, while European and Asian leaders urged the U.S. to engage constructively. Human rights groups said Trump’s rhetoric inflamed racial tensions and distorted the realities of South Africa’s land reform.
Afrikaner identity has evolved in post-apartheid South Africa. While some feel marginalized, many embrace the country’s multiracial democracy. Advocacy groups like AfriForum promote Afrikaner rights, while towns like Orania pursue cultural autonomy through self-governance, local currency, and labor systems.
In the Northern Cape, Orania has emerged as a symbol of Afrikaner self-determination. Founded in 1991, the town operates independently with its own council, currency (the Ora), and labor system. Residents perform all work themselves to preserve cultural autonomy. Orania’s population has grown steadily, now exceeding 3,000, and its schools and institutions emphasize Afrikaans heritage.
The boycott triggered a wave of international and domestic responses. South Africa’s government dismissed Trump’s claims as misinformation, noting that rural violence affects all races and that farm attacks are overwhelmingly driven by robbery. The African Union condemned the move as an affront to African sovereignty, while European and Asian leaders urged the U.S. to engage constructively. Human rights groups criticized Trump’s rhetoric for inflaming racial tensions. Within South Africa, Afrikaners were divided: some welcomed the support, while others rejected the victimhood narrative. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also boycotted a G20 ministers meeting earlier this year, deriding South Africa’s summit slogan as “DEI and climate change.”
