EDITORIAL | Hey, Donald Trump. It’s called the G20, not the G1
Executive Summary
President Donald Trump's second term has escalated US pressure on South Africa as it hosts the first African G20 Summit in Johannesburg, driven by claims of genocide against white Afrikaners and farmer murders. Trump initially vowed to boycott the event, decline to send Vice President JD Vance or Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and warned against issuing a joint declaration, amid the expiry of the African Growth and Opportunity Act and imposition of tariffs on South Africa and other emerging economies like Brazil. Following support from countries including France, the US reversed course and announced it will send a delegation of unclear seniority. This U-turn underscores tensions in bilateral relations ahead of the US hosting the next G20 summit, with calls for mutual respect and constructive engagement.