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US expels South Africa's ambassador, citing hatred of Trump
The United States has expelled South Africa's ambassador to Washington, Ebrahim Rasool, after accusations from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio that the diplomat harbors a deep disdain for President Donald Trump.
In a post on X, Rubio stated that Rasool is "no longer welcome" in the United States, condemning him as a "race-baiting politician" who has expressed open hostility toward Trump. Rubio's remarks were in response to comments Rasool made during a webinar hosted by a South African think tank on Friday.
South Africa's Ambassador to the United States is no longer welcome in our great country.
— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) March 14, 2025
Ebrahim Rasool is a race-baiting politician who hates America and hates @POTUS.
We have nothing to discuss with him and so he is considered PERSONA NON GRATA.https://t.co/mnUnwGOQdx
According to a report by media outlet Breitbart, Rasool criticized Trump for what he called "disrespect" towards the global order, suggesting that white supremacy was a driving force behind Trump's political actions.
Rasool also claimed that Trump's "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) movement was a reaction to the increasing demographic diversity in the US, which he argued was a response from white supremacists.
In his post, Rubio linked to the Breitbart article, which highlighted these controversial comments. In a follow-up tweet, Rubio declared that Rasool is now considered "persona non grata" and that there is no further need for diplomatic engagement with the South African ambassador.
South African government responds
The South African government expressed disappointment over the US's decision to expel Rasool, calling it "regrettable." The South African Presidency issued a statement urging all parties involved to maintain diplomatic decorum and emphasized the country’s ongoing commitment to its relationship with the United States.
"We urge all relevant stakeholders to engage with respect and professionalism, as per established diplomatic norms," the statement read, stressing that the relationship between the two nations remains important despite the incident.
PRESIDENCY NOTES RASOOL EXPULSION
— The Presidency (@PresidencyZA) March 15, 2025
The Presidency has noted the regrettable expulsion of South Africa’s Ambassador to the United States of America, Mr. Ebrahim Rasool.
The Presidency urges all relevant and impacted stakeholders to maintain the established diplomatic decorum in…
Background on tensions between the US, South Africa
The diplomatic rift follows months of growing tensions between the two countries. In February, President Trump froze US aid to South Africa, accusing the country of passing a law that could seize land from white farmers.
Trump has repeatedly claimed that South Africa is targeting minority white farmers with a new law that permits the government to expropriate private land, despite widespread international practices allowing for land acquisition for public purposes such as infrastructure.
South Africa's government has denied that the law is racially motivated, dismissing Trump's allegations as a distortion of facts propagated by white nationalist groups. The country has maintained that the land reform law is aimed at addressing historical imbalances and improving the livelihoods of marginalized communities.
Elon Musk's criticism of the South African government
Adding to the complexity of the situation, South African-born billionaire Elon Musk, a prominent supporter of Trump, has publicly criticized the South African government’s approach to land ownership laws, accusing President Cyril Ramaphosa's administration of implementing "racist" policies. However, South African officials have firmly rejected these accusations.
