The United States has announced sweeping changes to the structure and membership of the G20 ahead of its 2026 presidency, saying South Africa will not be invited to participate and outlining plans for what officials call a “new G20” modeled around American economic priorities. The move represents a major departure from precedent and signals Washington’s intention to overhaul the forum’s agenda under President Donald Trump.
Why is the US planning a “new G20” for 2026?
In a blog post written by Marco Rubiotitled “America Welcomes the New G20,” said the 2026 Miami summit will highlight the values it says underpin American prosperity.
“The United States is moving forward with a new G20. South Africa has operated with resistance, division and radical agendas that have failed to deliver economic growth. America’s G20 will propel us forward with innovation, entrepreneurship and perseverance that will make America great and provide the world with a blueprint for prosperity. We are ready to lead in Miami,” the announcement said.
Read also | Donald Trump has banned South Africa from attending the G20 summit in Miami in 2026
The 2026 summit will coincide with the 250th anniversary of the United States. Officials described the event as an opportunity to showcase “the values of innovation, entrepreneurship and perseverance that make America great.”
What will the G20 2026 look like under US leadership?
According to the administration, the restructured G20 will operate through four working groups focused on three broad themes:
- removal of the regulatory burden,
- unlocking affordable and secure energy supply chains and
- pioneering new technologies and innovations.
“The first Sherpa and Finance Track meetings will be held in Washington, DC on December 15-16,” the statement said, with more meetings to follow throughout 2026.
Read also | G20 Summit: Modi and Italian PM vow to strengthen bilateral ties in Johannesburg
The White House added that as the global economy “struggles with changes driven by technologies like artificial intelligence and shakes off ideological preoccupations around green energy, the president is ready to lead the way.”
Who will be invited – and why was South Africa excluded?
Donald Trump’s administration said it would “welcome the world’s largest economies as well as emerging partners and allies”, specifically highlighting Poland, which it described as “a nation that was once imprisoned behind the Iron Curtain but is now among the world’s 20 largest economies”.
Poland’s rise, the officials argued, “is proof that focusing on the future is a better path than on grievances.
Read also | G20 Summit: Modi holds bilateral talks with SA President Cyril Ramaphosa
But the message about South Africa was direct:
“For these reasons, President Trump and the United States are not extending an invitation to the South African government to participate in the G20 during our presidency. There is room for disagreement in good faith, but not for dishonesty or sabotage.”
The administration accused South Africa’s ruling African National Congress of steering the country toward economic decline and antagonism toward the United States.
What criticism has the US made against South Africa?
In his blog post, Marco Rubio sharply criticized South Africa’s presidency of the G20 in 2025.
“The politics of grievance has spilled over into South Africa’s G20 presidency this month, which has been an exercise in spite, divisiveness and radical agendas that have nothing to do with economic growth,” the statement said.
Read also | Kier Starmer stumbles during G20 summit, netizens say: ‘Just laugh and carry on’
In a blog post, Rubio accused the South African government of:
- prioritizing climate change, diversity and inclusion, and aid dependency as ‘core principles’ of G20 working groups;
- ignoring US objections to the communiqué,
- blocking American entry into negotiations,
- actively ignore our efforts to negotiate in good faith
- doxing US officials working on these negotiations
“It has fundamentally damaged the reputation of the G20,” the US said in a statement.
What broader context did the US give to criticism of South Africa?
The administration contrasted South Africa’s current political direction with its early post-apartheid trajectory.
It says that under Nelson Mandela, South Africa had “a leader who understood that reconciliation and private sector-led economic growth was the only way to a nation where every citizen could prosper”.
But it argued that successive governments had replaced reconciliation with “policies of redistribution that discouraged investment and drove South Africa’s most talented citizens abroad”.
“As President Trump has rightly pointed out, the South African government’s penchant for racism and tolerance for violence against its African citizens have become basic domestic policies.”
Read also | G20 Highlights: PM Modi outlines plan to fight drug-terror nexus, boost skills
The administration also criticized South Africa’s relations with Iran and its “entertainment of Hamas supporters”, suggesting the country has “cozied up America’s biggest adversaries”.
Will South Africa return to the G20 under US leadership?
The administration outlined the difference between the government of South Africa and its people:
“The United States supports the people of South Africa, but not its radical ANC-led government, and will not tolerate its continued behavior.”
Read also | G20 summit ends in disappointment for COP29 negotiators
A future return is possible – but conditionally:
“When South Africa decides that it has made the tough decisions needed to fix its broken system and is ready to rejoin the family of prosperous and free nations, the United States will have a seat at our table for it.”
Until then, the US says it will “move forward with a new G20”.
