'Most Americans embarrassed by Trump's SA stance' - Mitchell Plitnick, ReThinking Foreign Policy

Donald Trump's attempt at banning South Africa from the 2026 G20 summit in Miami, Florida, is being labelled a 'tantrum' by one political analyst.

Mitchell Plitnick, President of ReThinking Foreign Policy, has given his response to a social media post by the US President on Wednesday night.

In it, Trump took umbrage at President Cyril Ramaphosa’s refusal to hand over the G20 presidency to a diplomat at the closing ceremony of the leaders’ summit on Sunday and said that South Africa won’t be welcome in Florida next year.

"It's embarrassing for anyone who's an American, across the political divide," says Plitnick.

Relations between Washington and Pretoria have been on a downward spiral since the start of the year, and despite a visit to the US by Ramaphosa and delegates in May, things appear to have worsened.

Trump was a no-show at the G20 in Johannesburg last week, failing to send even a low-level delegate to attend the summit.

The US will host the meeting of world leaders in Florida next year, but Trump has made it clear Ramaphosais not welcome.

Plitnick suggests Trump's latest rhetoric is more than likely hot air.

"I do not believe he is actually going to withhold visas from the South African delegation."

However, it does reflect the serious hostility towards South Africa that Trump has held since his first term, he adds. "It's intensifying."

Be that as it may, Trump is largely playing to an empty theatre.

"Even among Trump's own constituents, it's really not a big issue for anybody here."

Addressing Trump's post on Wednesday, the Democratic Alliance’s international relations spokesperson Ryan Smith said it is not the USA’s prerogative to exclude any of the G20 members.

"Regrettably, this is the stance Washington has taken, but it’s very much in line with the Trump administration’s approach to foreign policy."

To listen to Plitnick in conversation with CapeTalk's Lester Kiewit, click below: