News24 | US criticises SA’s G20 summit as ‘basically the G100’

US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent.

• US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent seems to have criticised South Africa’s G20 leadership, emphasising a more streamlined, US-led approach under US President Donald Trump from December 2025.
• Forty-two nations confirmed attendance for South Africa’s G20 summit in Johannesburg, excluding US officials.
• International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola announced efforts to finalise the G20 leaders’ declaration, despite political tensions and notable absentees.

The US has once again taken what appears to be a subtle jab at South Africa’s G20 presidency, this time in comments made by US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent.

Speaking in the Oval Office of the White House alongside President Donald Trump, Bessent said that under the US G20 presidency, which commences on 1 December 2025, there would be fewer participants.

In a video that surfaced on Monday night, he said: “The US is back on the international stage as a leader. We have whittled down the G20 back to basics. We are making it work for the American people better than ever; better than ever.

“We have the G20 that has become basically the G100 this past year. So it will be a concentrated group in Miami, seeing the best America has to offer, with American leadership. Thanks to President Trump.”

Although he did not explicitly name South Africa, his comment appeared to be a veiled critique aimed at Pretoria’s current leadership of the G20.

His description of “whittling down the G20 back to basics” could be interpreted as a stark contrast to South Africa’s hosting of a broader and more inclusive summit.

With 42 countries confirmed to participate and South Africa preparing to hand over its presidency to the US in absentia, the summit presents a defining moment for Pretoria.

South Africa assumed the presidency from Brazil on 1 December 2024.

Bessent’s utterances come a day after Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola said 42 countries had confirmed their participation at the summit at the Nasrec expo centre in Johannesburg on 22 and 23 November.

Lamola said that the meeting would be attended by 20 G20 members (excluding the US), 16 guest countries, and six countries representing regional economic communities in Africa, the Caribbean, and East Asia.

This, after Trump confirmed that no US official would attend, citing “bad things” happening in South Africa.

The government also confirmed previous reports that four countries – Russia, Argentina, Mexico, and China – would not be represented by their heads of state.

READ | SA rallies G20 nations to adopt declaration amid US absence drama

News24 previously reported that Trump, speaking at the America Business Forum in Miami, Florida, two weeks ago, said: “For generations, Miami has been a haven for those fleeing communist tyranny in South Africa. I mean, if you take a look at what is going on in parts of South Africa, look at South Africa, what’s going on? Look at South America, what’s going on?”

He continued:

Reports suggest that an incoherent Trump may have mistakenly referenced South Africa in relation to people fleeing communism, confusing the country with others in his remarks.

On Monday, briefing the media on the state of readiness for the global event, Lamola said the presidency was tying up loose ends in finalising the declaration.

Lamola said: “We are forging ahead to persuade the countries that are present that we must adopt the leaders’ declaration because the institution cannot be bogged down by someone who is absent.”

He added that South Africa was ready to hand over the baton to the US, even in absentia.