US Vice President Cancels Kenya Visit After Trump’s Directive

Kenya, 11 November 2025 - The United States Vice President, JD Vance, has cancelled his planned visit to Kenya following a directive from President Donald Trump barring American officials from attending the upcoming G20 Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Kenya’s Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary confirmed the cancellation on Monday, saying the US government had formally communicated the decision. Vice President Vance was expected to visit Nairobi shortly after leading the American delegation to the G20 meeting.

“The Government of the Republic of Kenya has been informed by the Government of the United States of America of the cancellation of the planned visit to Kenya by His Excellency JD Vance,” the statement read in part.

The visit was part of Vance’s first official tour to Africa since taking office earlier this year. He was expected to meet President William Ruto and other top officials to discuss trade, security cooperation, and regional peace efforts.

However, the sudden order from President Trump, who has recently expressed dissatisfaction with what he calls “ineffective global forums”, forced the vice president to call off his African trip. Trump has repeatedly criticized international bodies like the G20, saying they fail to protect American interests.

The cancellation has sparked mixed reactions in Nairobi and Washington. Some Kenyan officials expressed disappointment, noting that the visit would have strengthened bilateral ties and supported ongoing economic and security partnerships.

“This was an important visit that we had greatly anticipated,” a senior Kenyan government source told Dawan Africa.

“We understand the situation, but we hope the engagement will be rescheduled soon.”

Analysts say the decision reflects Washington’s shifting diplomatic priorities under the new Trump administration, which has taken a more inward-looking approach to foreign policy.

Emmanuel Omole, a Nairobi-based economic and political analyst, said the move “signals a retreat from multilateral diplomacy and could temporarily slow down US engagement in Africa, especially at a time when other powers like China and the EU are deepening their presence on the continent.”

Although no new date for his visit has been announced, both governments have assured that relations between Kenya and the United States remain strong and that discussions on future cooperation will continue through diplomatic channels.