Donald Trump Jr tours Zambia, meets President Hichilema as US skips G20 summit in South Africa

Zambia’s President Hakainde Hichilema has revealed that he met United States President Donald Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Junior, during the American businessman’s private vacation in Zambia — a friendly encounter that comes just as the United States confirmed it would not attend the G20 summit hosted by South Africa.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Hichilema said Trump Jr. “experienced the beauty of our country” and that the leader of Zambia's ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) conveyed “warm regards” to the US president, while reaffirming Zambia’s commitment to fostering stronger ties with Washington.

“We were delighted to meet @DonaldJTrumpJr during his private vacation in Zambia, where he experienced the beauty of our country,” Hichilema wrote.

“We conveyed our warm regards to his father, US President @realDonaldTrump, and affirmed our commitment to fostering enhanced US–Zambia relations.”

The tweet — posted from Hichilema’s verified account on X — has drawn wide attention across the continent, given its timing: days before the G20 summit begins in Johannesburg, which the United States president has decided to snub.

Last week, IOL reported that analysts have described Washington’s no-show at the G20 as “a diplomatic setback” for Pretoria, which is hosting the high-level meeting under the theme “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability”.

South Africa’s government has downplayed the absence, saying the summit “will proceed with full agenda and participation from all other member states.”

Hichilema, who has courted both Western and regional partners, used the encounter with Trump Jr. to signal Lusaka’s continuing openness to engagement with the United States despite the shifting global climate.

Observers note that while South Africa’s G20 presidency has faced political turbulence, Zambia has quietly positioned itself as a stable partner for Western investment and tourism. Trump Jr.’s private visit and Hichilema’s warm public acknowledgment of it may serve as a form of soft diplomacy — highlighting Zambia’s growing confidence on the regional stage.

The G20 summit, the first to be hosted on African soil, is expected to focus on energy transition, trade reform, and debt relief for developing economies. Whether the absence of the United States will affect the adoption of the final communiqué remains to be seen.

jonisayi.maromo@iol.co.za

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