White House says South Africa undermines G20’s founding principles

The White House on Saturday (November 22, 2025) said South Africa was refusing to facilitate a smooth transition of its presidency of the Group of 20 major economies to the U.S., after the G20 issued a declaration on climate change over U.S. objections.

White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said South African President Cyril Ramaphosa had pushed to issue a G20 leaders’ declaration addressing the climate crisis and other global challenges “despite consistent and robust U.S. objections.”

She said U.S. President Donald Trump looked forward to “restoring legitimacy to the G20 in the U.S.’s 2026 host year.”