Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Friday that South Africa’s ambassador to the U.S., Ebrahim Rasool, is “no longer welcome” in the country, marking a significant action by the Trump administration against the African nation.
Rubio called Rasool a “race-baiting politician” who harbors animosity towards President Trump and declared him “persona non grata.” Neither Rubio nor the State Department provided an immediate explanation for the decision. However, Rubio shared a Breitbart article discussing Rasool’s recent comments at a South African think tank’s webinar, where he linked the Trump administration’s policies to demographic changes in the U.S. and their implications for white people no longer being the majority.
This move is highly unusual, as expulsions of foreign ambassadors are rare, although lower-ranking diplomats often face such treatment.
The South African government expressed regret over Rasool’s expulsion but emphasized its commitment to maintaining strong relations with the U.S.
Rasool, who had previously served as South Africa’s ambassador from 2010 to 2015, returned to the role in January. He is known for his anti-apartheid activism and association with Nelson Mandela’s African National Congress. In his webinar speech, Rasool discussed issues related to Trump’s crackdown on diversity, equity programs, and immigration, but refrained from directly criticizing the president.
Rasool’s expulsion follows Trump’s executive order cutting aid to South Africa over a new land law, which Trump claims discriminates against white Afrikaners.
The South African government has denied the allegations and defended the law as part of efforts to correct the injustices of the apartheid era.
Trump also proposed offering refugee status to Afrikaners in the U.S., further intensifying the political tension.
