Tensions between Washington and Pretoria just hit a new low. The United States has confirmed it will skip G20 meetings hosted by South Africa, as Secretary of State Marco Rubio pointed to a growing chasm between the two nations on key global issues.
Speaking before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday, Rubio didn’t sugarcoat it. “When a country breaks with us over and over again, it forces us to draw conclusions,” he said, underscoring what he sees as South Africa’s consistent divergence from U.S. foreign policy goals.
Rubio made it clear: Washington’s snub isn’t just about one disagreement—it’s about a pattern. He accused Pretoria of cozying up to U.S. adversaries like China and Iran, and slammed its recent positions on global conflicts, including what he described as a lopsided stance on Israel.
South Africa has taken center stage in a legal showdown against Israel at the International Court of Justice, accusing the Israeli government of genocide over its military actions in Gaza. While the ICJ issued a preliminary injunction against Israel earlier this year, Tel Aviv has largely brushed it off. Rubio criticized South Africa’s role in the case, calling its position not only “imbalanced,” but “openly biased.”
Adding fuel to the fire, the Trump administration has previously accused South Africa of facilitating what it described as a racially charged “genocide”—a claim South African President Cyril Ramaphosa dismissed as utterly false and inflammatory.
Interestingly, Rubio’s comments came just as Ramaphosa touched down in Washington, aiming to smooth over frayed ties. According to his office, the South African president is set to meet with President Trump on Wednesday to hash out a potential reset in trade relations and address recent diplomatic friction.
But given Washington’s current mood, it might be an uphill battle. Rubio insisted the G20 agenda under South Africa’s leadership doesn’t align with U.S. priorities, cementing the boycott as more than just symbolic—it’s a signal of waning trust.
With two major players now locking horns on everything from Middle East policy to global alliances, the upcoming bilateral talks could make or break the future of U.S.–South African cooperation. One thing’s for sure: business as usual is off the table.
