In a bold move on Friday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that South Africa’s ambassador to Washington, Ebrahim Rasool, has been declared persona non grata. Rubio’s statement on X (formerly Twitter) accused Rasool of “hating America” and US President Donald Trump, asserting that “South Africa’s Ambassador to the United States is no longer welcome in our great country.”
Rising Diplomatic Tensions
Rubio’s expulsion of Rasool comes as relations between Washington and Pretoria grow increasingly strained. Earlier this year, President Trump froze US aid to South Africa over concerns that local laws allowed for the expropriation of land from white farmers. Recently, Trump escalated the issue by inviting South African farmers to relocate to the United States, promising them a “rapid pathway to citizenship” amid claims of land confiscation by the South African government.
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Controversial Rhetoric and Accusations
In a separate twist, a Breitbart article shared by Rubio detailed controversial remarks made by Rasool at a foreign policy seminar. According to the report, Rasool attributed President Trump’s “disrespect” for the global order to white supremacy and suggested that the Make America Great Again movement was a reaction to increasing diversity in the US. Rasool, an anti-apartheid activist in his youth, has also criticized Israel’s actions in the Gaza conflict, further fueling diplomatic friction.
Allies Weigh In
Adding fuel to the fire, South African-born billionaire Elon Musk—one of Trump’s close allies—has openly criticized President Cyril Ramaphosa’s land policies as “openly racist.” Land ownership remains a highly sensitive issue in South Africa, where much of the farmland is still controlled by white farmers, and the government is under mounting pressure to implement reforms.
At a recent G20 summit, President Ramaphosa recalled having a “wonderful” call with Trump after his inauguration, but noted that relations between the two countries “seemed to go a little bit off the rails” afterward.
