US President Donald Trump says his country will host a Group of 20 summit next year at his own resort in the southern state of Florida.
Trump made the announcement on Friday when he was speaking to reporters at the White House. The US is going to chair the 2026 G20 summit.
Trump defended using his own property as the venue, saying: “I think that everybody wants it there because it’s right next to the airport. It’s the best location.”
In 2019, during his first term in office, Trump announced he would host the 2020 Group of Seven summit in the same facility centering on a golf course in Miami. But he withdrew the plan in the face of criticism that it could constitute an abuse of presidential power.
Asked about the possible participation of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump said he’d love for them to attend if they want to.
Trump also said he will skip this year’s G20 summit in South Africa and send Vice President JD Vance instead.
Trump caused a stir when he met with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at the White house in May by unilaterally claiming that white residents in South Africa are being persecuted.
