South Africa dropped from G7 summit after US pressure

South Africa’s presidency says France has withdrawn an invitation for President Cyril Ramaphosa to attend the upcoming G7 summit, citing pressure from the United States.

"We have learned that due to continued pressure, France has had to withdraw its invitation to South Africa for its participation in the G7," presidential spokesman Vincent Magwenya told AFP on Thursday.

"We are told that the Americans threatened to boycott the G7 summit if South Africa was invited," he added.

Tensions between Washington and Pretoria have steadily escalated over the last year. The United States has attacked South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice over the Gaza genocide.

US President Donald Trump has also become fixated on South Africa’s white Afrikaner minority, claiming that they are being persecuted.