US Expels South African Ambassador Over Trump Criticism

The South African diplomat was declared persona non grata after remarks on US nationalism and racial dynamics angered the Trump administration.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the expulsion of South African Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool, citing his alleged hostility toward the US and President Donald Trump.
Rasool’s comments during a workshop linked Trump, Elon Musk, and J.D. Vance to the rise of global nationalist movements, sparking backlash from US officials.
The Trump administration accused Rasool of stoking racial tensions with his analysis of US demographic shifts and narratives surrounding white identity politics.
Relations between the US and South Africa have deteriorated, partly due to a South African land reform law addressing apartheid-era injustices, which Trump criticized as discriminatory against white farmers.
In February, Trump froze US aid to South Africa and offered expedited asylum to white South African farmers, intensifying diplomatic tensions.