South African ambassador ‘now not welcome’ in US, Rubio says

The US is expelling South Africa’s ambassador to Washington, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying he’s “now not welcome in our nice nation”.

In a publish on X, Rubio accused Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool of hating America and President Donald Trump and described him as a “race-baiting politician”.

The choice was “regrettable”, the workplace for South Africa’s president stated on Saturday, including that the nation remained dedicated to constructing a mutually helpful relationship with America.

The uncommon transfer by the US marks the most recent growth in rising tensions between the 2 nations.

In his publish on Friday, Rubio linked to an article from the right-wing outlet Breitbart that quoted a few of Rasool’s current remarks made throughout a web-based lecture concerning the Trump administration.

“What Donald Trump is launching is an assault on incumbency, those that are in energy, by mobilising a supremacism towards the incumbency, at dwelling… and overseas,” Rasool stated on the occasion.

He added that the Maga motion was a response “to very clear knowledge that exhibits nice demographic shifts within the USA during which the voting voters… is projected to change into 48 p.c white”.

In response, Rubio known as Rasool “PERSONA NON GRATA,” referencing the Latin phrase for “unwelcome particular person”.

The publish from Rubio got here as he departed Canada from a gathering with international ministers.

Ties between the US and South Africa have been deteriorating since Trump took workplace.

The US president signed an government order final month that freezes help to South Africa. The order references “egregious actions” by South Africa and cites “unjust racial discrimination” towards white Afrikaners – those that descended from Dutch settlers.

The South African authorities has repeatedly denied this.

The order additionally references a brand new legislation, the Expropriation Act, that the order claims targets Afrikaners by permitting the federal government to remove personal land.

“So long as South Africa continues to assist unhealthy actors on the world stage and permits violent assaults on harmless disfavored minority farmers, america will cease support and help to the nation,” in response to a press release from the White Home.

The federal government in South Africa denies its legislation is said to race, the Related Press reported.

A reality sheet from the White Home states the nation “blatantly discriminates towards ethnic minority descendants of settler teams”.

Whereas lower-ranking diplomats are generally expelled, it is extremely uncommon within the US for it to occur to a extra senior official like a international ambassador, the Related Press reported, noting neither the US nor Russia took such actions towards each other even amid tensions through the Chilly Battle.

Rasool beforehand served because the nation’s ambassador to the US from 2010 to 2015 earlier than being tapped once more for the publish in 2025.

He was born and grew up in Cape City. When he was 9, he and his household have been forcibly faraway from an residence that was declared just for white folks. As he grew older, he turned extra fascinated with politics and stated the eviction was a major second in his upbringing that guided his future.