U.S. Expels South African Ambassador in Extraordinary Decision

In a rare diplomatic move, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared South Africa’s ambassador, Ebrahim Rasool, "persona non grata" on Friday, effectively expelling him from the country. Rubio, posting on X while returning from a G7 meeting in Quebec, branded Rasool a "race-baiting politician" and accused him of harboring animosity toward President Donald Trump. No detailed explanation was provided, and the State Department offered no further comment. It remains unclear if Rasool was in the U.S. at the time.

The expulsion follows Trump’s recent executive order cutting aid to South Africa’s Black-led government, citing a new Expropriation Act. Signed into law by President Cyril Ramaphosa, the act permits land redistribution in cases of unused property or public interest, aiming to rectify apartheid-era injustices.

Trump claims it targets Afrikaners—descendants of Dutch settlers—labeling them "racially disfavoured landowners," though no land has been seized under the law. South Africa denies racial motives, accusing Trump of spreading misinformation.

Rasool, a former anti-apartheid activist and Nelson Mandela ally, previously served as ambassador from 2010 to 2015 and returned this year. Trump also proposed offering Afrikaners U.S. refugee status, a move echoed by Elon Musk, a South African-born Trump confidant, who has criticized the law online.

Expelling an ambassador is an extraordinary step, typically reserved for severe diplomatic breaches. The decision underscores escalating U.S.-South Africa tensions, fueled by differing narratives over race, land, and governance, with potential ripple effects on bilateral relations.