U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio announced on Friday that South Africa’s ambassador to the United States, Ebrahim Rasool, has been declared persona non grata, signaling escalating tensions between the two nations.
In a post on social media platform X, Rubio stated that Rasool was “no longer welcome in our great country,” further describing him as “a race-baiting politician who hates America and hates @POTUS.” The South African embassy in Washington has yet to issue a response.
The diplomatic fallout comes amid strained relations following President Donald Trump’s recent executive order suspending U.S. aid to South Africa. The order, signed earlier this month, was a response to South Africa’s controversial land expropriation act, which Trump claimed would lead to the seizure of white-owned farms. Additionally, Trump invited South African farmers, stating they were welcome to settle in the United States.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has defended his government’s policies, emphasizing that they are rooted in constitutional principles aimed at addressing historical injustices.
“We are guided by the Constitution, which places a responsibility on the state to take measures to redress the effects of past racial discrimination,” Ramaphosa stated in a post on X.
Following Trump’s executive order, Ramaphosa also expressed concerns over what he described as the “mischaracterization” of South Africa’s legal and foreign policy positions.
The diplomatic dispute marks a significant low point in U.S.-South Africa relations, with no immediate indication of reconciliation efforts between the two governments.
