In a dramatic diplomatic move, the United States has expelled South Africa’s ambassador to Washington, Ebrahim Rasool, accusing him of harboring hatred toward the country and President Donald Trump. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the decision on Friday, emphasizing that Rasool’s presence was no longer welcome in the U.S.
“South Africa’s Ambassador to the United States is no longer welcome in our great country,” Rubio posted on X (formerly Twitter).
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
The expulsion comes amid escalating tensions between the two nations. Rubio described Rasool as “a race-baiting politician who hates America and hates @POTUS” and declared that the U.S. had no further interest in engaging with him, calling him “PERSONA NON GRATA.”
This move follows the freezing of U.S. aid to South Africa by former President Trump in February, citing concerns over a controversial land expropriation law. The law allows for land to be seized from white farmers, which has caused significant friction. South African-born billionaire Elon Musk, a close ally of Trump, has also criticized the South African government’s policies, labeling them as “openly racist ownership laws.”
The issue of land ownership remains a sensitive subject in South Africa, with the majority of farmland still in the hands of white individuals, even three decades after the end of apartheid. The South African government is under increasing pressure to implement land reforms.
Relations between the two countries have further soured after a G20 event in South Africa last month, where President Cyril Ramaphosa described his earlier relationship with Trump as “wonderful,” but acknowledged that things later “seemed to go a little bit off the rails.”
As tensions continue to rise, the future of U.S.-South Africa relations appears increasingly uncertain.
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- Source: ALARABIYA NEWS
