U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will not attend an upcoming G20 meeting in South Africa, the top U.S. diplomat said on Wednesday, days after President Donald Trump threatened to cut off funding to the African country.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Wednesday evening he was boycotting the G20 meeting in South Africa scheduled for later this month over the country's controversial land expropriation law.

US SECRETARY of State Marco Rubio said he won’t attend a Group of 20 summit in Johannesburg later this month, citing among his reasons South Africa’s efforts to address inequality. Read more at The Business Times.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will skip the G20 summit, accusing South Africa of pushing an 'anti-American' agenda and criticising its stance on DEI and climate policies

The US secretary of state communicated his decision on X and opened up a new front of contestation with South Africa

US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio has announced that he will not attend the G20 Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa. In a statement on Thursday morning, Rubio said this is because of the ‘bad things’ South Africa is doing. He said they include forcefully taking private property from people and promoting diversity and inclusion programmes.

United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio has refused to attend the G20 summit in South Africa this year. The G20 summit is scheduled to kick off in Johannesburg on November 22. South Africa assumed the presidency of the G20 IN December last year, taking over from Brazil.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks after a tour of a migrant return center and a demonstration of a dog trained to sniff out narcotics, at La Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City, February 5, 2025. Mark Schiefelbein/Pool via REUTERS

"South Africa is doing very bad things. Expropriating private property. Using G20 to promote solidarity, equality, & sustainability. In other words: DEI and climate change," Rubio said in his post on X,

Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote on X that he will not be attending the G-20 summit in Johannesburg as a protest against the South African government.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday he would skip Group of 20 talks this month in South Africa, accusing the host government of an "anti-American" agenda.