The United States has decided to expel South Africa’s ambassador to Washington, D.C., with Secretary of State Marco Rubio stating that the ambassador is “no longer welcome in our great country.” In a post on X, Rubio accused Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool of harboring hatred for America and President Donald Trump. Describing him as a “race-baiting politician,” Rubio claimed there is nothing left to discuss with him. This drastic action marks the latest escalation in the growing tensions between the two nations.
The BBC has reached out to the South African embassy in Washington D.C. for their comments on the situation. In his Friday post, Rubio linked to an article from the right-wing outlet Breitbart, which featured quotes from Rasool’s recent remarks made during an online lecture about the Trump administration. Rasool had said that “what Donald Trump is launching is an assault on incumbency, those who are in power, by mobilizing a supremacism against the incumbency, at home… and abroad.” He further added that the MAGA movement is a response to data showing significant demographic shifts in the USA, with the voting electorate projected to be only 48 percent white.
In response, Rubio declared Rasool a “PERSONA NON GRATA,” meaning an unwelcome person. This post came as Rubio departed from Canada following a meeting with foreign ministers. Ties between the US and South Africa have been deteriorating since Trump took office. Last month, Trump signed an executive order freezing assistance to South Africa, citing “egregious actions” and “unjust racial discrimination” against white Afrikaners, descendants of Dutch settlers.
The order also references the Expropriation Act, a new law that supposedly targets Afrikaners by allowing the government to seize private land. According to the White House, as long as South Africa continues to support bad actors worldwide and permits violent attacks on minority farmers, the US will halt aid and assistance to the country. However, the South African government denies any connection between their law and race, according to the Associated Press.
While lower-ranking diplomats are sometimes expelled, it is highly unusual for more senior officials like foreign ambassadors to face such actions. Rasool previously served as the country’s ambassador to the US from 2010 to 2015 before being reappointed to the position in 2025. Born and raised in Cape Town, Rasool’s interest in politics grew after his family was forcibly removed from their apartment, which was designated for white people only, when he was just nine years old. This experience greatly influenced his future.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crmj8ky3rvno
