U.S. Expels South African Ambassador Over Land Reform Dispute

Secretary of State Marco Rubio accuses Ebrahim Rasool of fueling racial tensions as tensions escalate between Washington and Pretoria.

The United States has declared South Africa's ambassador, Ebrahim Rasool, persona non grata, requiring him to leave the country.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio cited Rasool's alleged role in stoking racial tensions and his criticism of President Donald Trump as reasons for the expulsion.
The diplomatic rift centers on South Africa's land reform law, which allows expropriation of land without compensation in certain cases to address historical inequities from the apartheid era.
President Trump has criticized the law as discriminatory against white farmers and has offered expedited U.S. citizenship to South African farmers seeking refuge.
U.S. foreign aid to South Africa, totaling $323 million in 2024, has been frozen since February as part of the ongoing dispute.