South African Ambassador ‘No Longer Welcome’ in US – Rubio

U.S. Senator Marco Rubio has declared that South Africa’s ambassador is “no longer welcome” in the United States amid rising diplomatic tensions.

The United States is expelling South Africa’s ambassador to Washington. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the ambassador is “no longer welcome in our great country.”

In a post on X, Rubio claimed that Ebrahim Rasool harbors animosity towards America and President Donald Trump, labeling him as a “race-baiting politician.”

On Saturday, the South African president’s office described the decision as “regrettable,” while affirming that the country remains dedicated to fostering a mutually beneficial relationship with America.

The United States’ unusual action represents the newest escalation in the growing tensions between the two countries.

In his Friday post, Rubio shared a link to an article from the conservative outlet Breitbart. The piece included quotes from some of Rasool’s recent comments made during an online lecture about the Trump administration.

Rasool stated at the event that Donald Trump’s actions represent an attack on those currently in power by rallying a supremacy both domestically and internationally.

He mentioned that the MAGA movement emerged as a reaction “to clear data indicating significant demographic changes in the USA, where it is expected that white individuals will make up 48 percent of the voting population.”

In response, Rubio labeled Rasool as “PERSONA NON GRATA,” utilizing the Latin term that means “unwelcome person.”

Rubio’s post was made as he left Canada after attending a meeting with foreign ministers.

The relationship between the US and South Africa has been declining since Trump assumed office.

Last month, the US president issued an executive order halting aid to South Africa. The order mentions “severe actions” by South Africa and points to “unjust racial discrimination” targeting white Afrikaners, descendants of Dutch settlers.

The South African government has consistently refuted this.

The order also mentions a recently enacted law, the Expropriation Act, which it asserts targets Afrikaners by granting the government authority to seize private land.

The White House issued a statement saying that the United States will halt aid and assistance to South Africa if it continues to back harmful figures on the global stage and permits violent attacks against innocent minority farmers.

The Associated Press reported that the South African government refutes any connection between its law and racial issues.

A report from the White House indicates that the country “openly discriminates against ethnic minority descendants of settler groups.”

According to the Associated Press, it is rare in the US for a high-ranking official such as a foreign ambassador to be expelled, although lower-ranking diplomats might face this action. The report highlighted that neither the US nor Russia resorted to expelling senior officials even during periods of tension throughout the Cold War.

Rasool served as the country’s ambassador to the US from 2010 until 2015, before being appointed again for the role in 2025.

He was born and raised in Cape Town. At the age of nine, his family faced forcible eviction from an apartment designated exclusively for white residents. As he matured, he developed a keen interest in politics, often citing this eviction as a pivotal event that shaped his path forward.