U.S. expels South African Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool over Trump critique, deepening diplomatic rift

In a rare diplomatic rebuke, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared South Africa’s Ambassador to the United States, Ebrahim Rasool, persona non grata on Friday, effectively expelling him from the country. Rubio accused Rasool of being a “race-baiting politician who hates America and hates @POTUS,” referencing President Donald Trump, following comments the ambassador made critical of the Trump administration. The move underscores a sharp deterioration in U.S.-South Africa relations, already strained by policy disputes and clashing geopolitical stances.

The expulsion stems from a speech Rasool delivered virtually to the Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection in Johannesburg on March 14, where he reportedly described Trump as leading a “global white supremacist movement.” According to sources familiar with the remarks, Rasool linked Trump’s policies—alongside actions by allies like Vice President JD Vance and billionaire Elon Musk—to a broader effort to stoke “white victimhood” amid shifting demographics in the U.S. and abroad. Rubio, reacting on X, cited a Breitbart News article about the speech, declaring, “We have nothing to discuss with him,” and formally designating Rasool unwelcome in the U.S.

South Africa’s Presidency swiftly responded, calling the decision “regrettable” in a Saturday statement. “The Presidency urges all relevant and impacted stakeholders to maintain the established diplomatic decorum in their engagement with this matter,” it said, reaffirming Pretoria’s commitment to “building a mutually beneficial relationship with the United States.” Chrispin Phiri, spokesperson for South Africa’s Department of International Relations, added on X that the government would address the issue “through diplomatic channels.”

The incident marks the latest flashpoint in a fraught relationship between Washington and Pretoria under Trump’s second term. Tensions have simmered since Trump cut U.S. aid to South Africa in February, citing its land expropriation policies—which he and Musk, a South African native, have decried as discriminatory against white Afrikaner farmers—and its genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, a stance Rasool has publicly supported. Last month, Rubio boycotted a G20 meeting hosted by South Africa, slamming its focus on “DEI and climate change” as anti-American.

Rasool, who presented his credentials to then-President Joe Biden on January 13—just days before Trump’s inauguration—returned for his second stint as ambassador, having previously served from 2010 to 2015. A veteran of South Africa’s anti-apartheid struggle and a member of the African National Congress, he has faced difficulty securing meetings with U.S. officials since Trump took office, according to reports. His outspoken criticism of Israel, including past praise for Hamas leaders like Ismail Haniyeh, has further complicated his tenure.

The persona non grata designation, rooted in the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, is a severe step rarely applied to ambassadors. It contrasts with historical U.S. restraint, even during Cold War-era spats with Russia.

Analysts see Rubio’s decision as a signal of the Trump administration’s hardline stance against perceived adversaries. “The U.S.-South Africa relationship has now reached its lowest point,” said Patrick Gaspard, a former U.S. ambassador to South Africa, on X. With Trump’s team pushing a narrative of “America First,” Rasool’s expulsion reflects broader friction over race, diplomacy, and international alliances as both nations brace for further fallout.