Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced he will not attend the G20 Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, this year.
In a statement posted on X, Rubio accused the host nation of “doing very bad things” and said the meeting’s focus did not align with the U.S.’s priorities.
“I will NOT attend the G20 summit in Johannesburg,” he wrote. “South Africa is doing very bad things. Expropriating private property. Using G20 to promote ‘solidarity, equality, & sustainability.’ In other words: DEI and climate change. My job is to advance America’s national interests, not waste taxpayer money or coddle anti-Americanism.”
I will NOT attend the G20 summit in Johannesburg.
South Africa is doing very bad things. Expropriating private property. Using G20 to promote “solidarity, equality, & sustainability.” In other words: DEI and climate change.
My job is to advance America’s national interests, not…
— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) February 5, 2025
Rubio was referring to South Africa’s new land expropriation law.
President Trump on Sunday accused the country of “confiscating land, and treating certain classes of people VERY BADLY.”
“It is a bad situation that the Radical Left Media doesn’t want to so much as mention,” he added. “A massive Human Rights VIOLATION, at a minimum, is happening for all to see. The United States won’t stand for it, we will act. Also, I will be cutting off all future funding to South Africa until a full investigation of this situation has been completed!”
South Africa’s president hit back, arguing the nation is a “constitutional democracy that is deeply rooted in the rule of law, justice and equality,” saying the “government has not confiscated any land.”
“The recently adopted Expropriation Act is not a confiscation instrument, but a constitutionally mandated legal process that ensures public access to land in an equitable and just manner as guided by the constitution,” President Cyril Ramaphosa wrote on X. “South Africa, like the United States of America and other countries, has always had expropriation laws that balance the need for public usage of land and the protection of rights of property owners.
“We look forward to engaging with the Trump administration over our land reform policy and issues of bilateral interest,” he added. “We are certain that out of those engagements, we will share a better and common understanding over these matters. The US remains a key strategic political and trade partner for South Africa. With the exception of PEPFAR Aid, which constitutes 17% of South Africa’s HIVAids programme, there is no other funding that is received by South Africa from the United States.”
South Africa is a constitutional democracy that is deeply rooted in the rule of law, justice and equality. The South African government has not confiscated any land.
The recently adopted Expropriation Act is not a confiscation instrument, but a constitutionally mandated legal…
— Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 (@CyrilRamaphosa) February 3, 2025
