US expels South African envoy amid rising tensions

The United States has taken the unusual step of expelling South Africa's ambassador, marking a new escalation in tensions between Washington and Pretoria.

South Africa’s presidential office described the decision as “regrettable” on March 15, following remarks by Washington’s top diplomat accusing the envoy of harboring hostility toward both America and former President Donald Trump.

On March 14, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that South African Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool was “no longer welcome” in the US.

Rubio characterized Rasool as “a race-baiting politician who hates America and hates @POTUS,” referencing Trump’s official handle on X (formerly Twitter).

“We have nothing to discuss with him, and he is considered PERSONA NON GRATA,” Rubio stated.

In response, South Africa’s presidency acknowledged the expulsion and urged all involved parties to maintain diplomatic decorum.

“South Africa remains committed to fostering a mutually beneficial relationship with the United States of America,” the statement read.

This rare diplomatic measure comes amid growing friction between the two nations.

Rising tensions

In February, Trump froze U.S. aid to South Africa, citing a domestic law he claimed allowed for land seizures from white farmers.

Last week, he further inflamed the issue, stating that South African farmers were welcome to relocate to the U.S. He reiterated his claim that the South African government was “confiscating” land from white citizens.

Posting on his Truth Social platform, Trump said, “Any farmer (with family!) from South Africa, seeking to flee that country for reasons of safety, will be invited into the United States of America with a rapid pathway to Citizenship.”

Among Trump’s close allies is South African-born billionaire Elon Musk, who has accused President Cyril Ramaphosa’s government of enacting “openly racist ownership laws.”

The issue of land ownership remains highly contentious in South Africa, where most farmland is still in white ownership despite three decades passing since the end of apartheid. The government continues to face pressure to enact reforms.

During a G20 event in South Africa last month, Ramaphosa recalled having a “wonderful” conversation with Trump shortly after he assumed office in January. However, he noted that relations later “seemed to go a little bit off the rails.”

Rubio, in his X post, linked to a Breitbart article reporting on Rasool’s remarks during a foreign policy seminar livestream on March 14.

According to Breitbart, Rasool claimed that white supremacism was a driving factor behind Trump’s “disrespect” for the global hegemonic order. The outlet further reported that he described Trump’s Make America Great Again movement as a “white supremacist response to growing demographic diversity in the United States.”

A former anti-apartheid activist, Rasool has also been vocal in criticizing Israel’s actions in Gaza.

In a February interview with news site Zeteo, he remarked that the situation in Palestine is an intensified version of what South Africans endured under apartheid, stating, “What we experienced is on steroids in Palestine.”