U.S. Treasury Secretary Skips G20 in South Africa, Will Attend Osaka Expo Amid Trade Tensions

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will not attend next week’s G20 finance ministers and central bank governors meeting in South Africa, marking his second absence from a G20 gathering in the country this year. According to a Treasury spokesperson, Bessent will instead represent the United States at the 2025 World Expo in Osaka, Japan, on July 19 for the U.S. national day.

Michael Kaplan, acting undersecretary for international affairs, will attend the July 17–18 G20 meeting near Durban in Bessent’s place. The G20 presidency is currently held by South Africa, while the U.S. is set to lead the group in 2026.

Bessent's decision follows a string of high-level no-shows at G20 events in South Africa, including earlier absences from China, Japan, India, Canada, and the EU. In February, Bessent skipped another G20 meeting in Cape Town to join President Donald Trump’s first cabinet meeting. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also missed a G20 foreign ministers meeting that month.

Tensions between Washington and Pretoria have intensified. Trump recently sent South African President Cyril Ramaphosa a letter imposing a 30% tariff on imports starting August 1, unless trade barriers to U.S. goods are reduced. This comes amid accusations from Trump regarding land confiscations in South Africa—claims widely dismissed as misinformation.

Bessent’s Japan visit follows Trump’s move to raise tariffs on Japanese imports to 25%, effective next month. Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishibi said negotiations with the U.S. would continue to seek a balanced trade resolution.

It remains unclear if Bessent will hold bilateral talks during the Osaka Expo visit. As a key figure in U.S. trade policy, his diplomatic presence continues to draw global attention.