In a move that has sent shockwaves through diplomatic circles, the United States has expelled South Africa’s ambassador to Washington, Ebrahim Rasool, citing his critical remarks about former US President Donald Trump. The decision, announced by Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday, has further strained relations between the two nations.
Rubio did not mince words in his statement on X (formerly Twitter), declaring Rasool “a race-baiting politician who hates America and hates @POTUS.” The former Florida senator and key Trump ally added, “We have nothing to discuss with him and so he is considered PERSONA NON GRATA.”
Escalating Diplomatic Tensions
The expulsion of an ambassador is a rare and drastic step in diplomatic relations, signaling heightened tensions between the two governments.
Relations between Washington and Pretoria have been uneasy for some time. In February, Trump froze US aid to South Africa, alleging that land was being seized from white farmers without compensation. This move drew condemnation from South African officials, who labeled it as misinformed and inflammatory.
Trump’s Immigration Offer to South African Farmers
Adding fuel to the fire, Trump recently extended an open invitation to South African farmers, offering them a “rapid pathway to citizenship” in the United States if they sought to flee what he called “unsafe conditions.” This statement, made via his social media platform Truth Social, sparked further debate on both sides of the Atlantic.
South African-born billionaire Elon Musk has also weighed in on the matter, accusing President Cyril Ramaphosa’s administration of enforcing “openly racist ownership laws.”
Land Reform: A Contentious Issue
Land ownership remains one of the most polarizing topics in South Africa. Three decades after the fall of apartheid, most farmland is still owned by white farmers. The government has been under pressure to accelerate reforms, leading to accusations from conservative groups in the US that land expropriation policies are discriminatory.
Last month, during a G20 event held in South Africa, Ramaphosa commented that he had a “wonderful” call with Trump soon after he took office in January. However, he admitted that relations between the two nations had “seemed to go a little bit off the rails” since then.
Rasool’s Controversial Remarks
The tipping point for Rasool’s expulsion appears to have been comments he made during a livestreamed foreign policy seminar on Friday. According to the conservative news outlet Breitbart, Rasool claimed that Trump’s “disrespect for the current hegemonic order” was driven by white supremacist ideology. He also suggested that Trump’s Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement was a reaction to growing racial diversity in the US.
As a veteran anti-apartheid activist, Rasool has been outspoken on various global human rights issues. In a recent interview, he likened the situation in Palestine to apartheid-era South Africa, describing it as “apartheid on steroids.”
The Bigger Picture
The fallout from Rasool’s expulsion could have long-term implications for US-South Africa relations. While Pretoria has called the move “regrettable,” it has also emphasized its commitment to maintaining a strong diplomatic relationship with Washington.
Meanwhile, political analysts argue that this latest spat highlights the increasing global polarization on race, land ownership, and diplomatic decorum.
What Next?
The South African government has yet to announce whether it will appoint a new ambassador or retaliate diplomatically. With ongoing economic and trade ties between the two nations, a complete breakdown in relations remains unlikely, but this episode marks a new chapter in the often-turbulent relationship between Pretoria and Washington.
