Washington has expelled South Africa’s ambassador, accusing him of hostility toward the United States and President Donald Trump.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the decision Friday, declaring Ebrahim Rasool “persona non grata.”
In a post on X, Rubio called Rasool a “race-baiting politician who hates America and hates @POTUS.”
He added, “We have nothing to discuss with him.”
The expulsion marks a rare diplomatic move and intensifies tensions between Washington and Pretoria.
Last month, Trump froze U.S. aid to South Africa, citing concerns over land reform policies that he claims allow the seizure of white-owned farms.
He later invited affected farmers to immigrate to the U.S. with expedited citizenship.
Trump’s stance has drawn support from South African-born billionaire Elon Musk, who has criticized President Cyril Ramaphosa’s government for “openly racist ownership laws.”
Land reform remains a volatile issue in South Africa, where most farmland is still white-owned decades after apartheid.
At a recent G20 event, Ramaphosa noted his relationship with Trump had initially been positive but later “went off the rails.”
The latest rift follows Rasool’s controversial remarks at a foreign policy seminar, where he reportedly linked Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement to white supremacy.
Rasool, a former anti-apartheid activist, has also criticized Israel’s war in Gaza, likening it to South Africa’s apartheid era.
In a February interview, he said, “What South Africans experienced is on steroids in Palestine.”
