Donald Trump announces he’ll host 2026 G20 summit at his Doral, Florida resort

US President Donald Trump has made official his intention to host next year’s Group of 20 summit at his Doral resort in south Florida, with plans to curtail the attendee list and focus talks on the economy.

Mr Trump made the announcement Friday, US time, at an event at the White House. The theme of the summit, which will be held December 14-15, 2026, will be “Growth through Deregulation, Energy Abundance, and Innovation,” according to a White House official who detailed the plans on the condition of anonymity.

The US will streamline the summit to trim what had become a ballooning attendance list in recent years, in a bid to align the meeting with the founding G20 goals of growth and financial stability, according to the official.

The summit — one of a series of high-profile international events the US is hosting in 2026, when the nation will be celebrating its semi quincentennial — comes as Mr Trump has looked to reshape the nation’s foreign policy approach. In recent months, Mr Trump has imposed sweeping tariffs on allies and enemies alike, while seeking diplomatic engagement with traditional adversaries including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Bloomberg previously reported on the plans to host the gathering at Doral, as well as the White House’s efforts to focus the attendee list on G20 member nations to the exclusion of some other leaders and interest groups that have typically attended as observers. It’s not yet clear whether they will fully shut the door beyond the bloc’s core members.

Trump wants to ensure it’s a productive forum for the 21 official members of the G-20 to engage in substantive dialogue, the official said.

The G-20 is made up of 19 countries, the EU and the African Union. Other countries, like Spain and the Netherlands, have also often attended as guests. The bloc includes major US trading partners, including China, Mexico, Canada, Germany, Japan, South Korea, India and the UK, among others. Australia is also a member.

The topics will include enhancing economic growth, cutting regulations, unleashing energy development and embracing innovation, the official said. National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett will serve as the so-called “sherpa,” or the lead US official coordinating the summit.

Hosting the forum of the world’s largest economies at his private golf resort marks the latest high-profile example of Mr Trump mixing his official duties as president with his personal businesses like no other US president in modern history. Mr Trump has long faced scrutiny over conflicts of interest related to his global business empire and critics argue he has consistently leveraged his presidential position for personal financial gain.

Mr Trump’s Doral resort will host the gathering at-cost, and will not profit from either the State Department or foreign governments, according to the White House official. Miami Mayor Francis Suarez played a key role in arranging the plans and Trump is grateful for his support, the official said.

Mr Trump had scrapped plans to host the Group of Seven summit at Doral in 2020 after widespread outcry and warnings from legal experts. The gathering was moved to Camp David but ultimately held virtually due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Mr Trump held several campaign events at his Doral club during his 2024 presidential bid, including a rally on one of the golf courses. The resort’s Blue Monster course is returning to the PGA Tour’s schedule next year following a nine-year absence that coincided with the start of Trump’s first presidential term.

He’s also welcomed several world leaders at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida as well as Trump Tower in New York, and regularly hosts fundraisers and conducts official business at his private properties. Trump recently visited two of his golf properties during a presidential trip to Scotland, and headlined the grand opening of a new course at one of them.

The president has shunned, or departed early from, world-leader summits in the past, including this year’s Group of Seven gathering in Canada - which he said was due to the conflict in the Middle East.

Trump has also signaled he might not attend this year’s G-20 in Johannesburg, South Africa. The president has taken issue with South Africa’s land policies, arguing they discriminate against White Afrikaners - an accusation the country’s government denies.