By Al Ahed Staff, Agencies
The United States has declared South Africa’s ambassador to Washington, Ebrahim Rasool, persona non grata following his critical remarks about President Donald Trump.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the decision on X [formerly Twitter], stating that Rasool was “no longer welcome in our great country.”
He accused the ambassador of being a “race-baiting politician who hates America and hates POTUS,” adding, “We have nothing to discuss with him, and so he is considered persona non grata.”
The move comes after Rasool participated in a South African think tank discussion, where he argued that Trump’s Make America Great Again movement, along with figures like Elon Musk and Vice President J.D. Vance, catered to “white anxieties” as part of a global trend.
He further claimed that Trump used a “supremacist instinct” and “white victimhood” as a “dog whistle” during the 2024 elections.
Since Trump’s return to office, Rasool has reportedly faced diplomatic isolation, with routine meetings with US officials being denied.
This latest diplomatic rift adds to the already tense US-South Africa relationship, which has been strained over Pretoria’s stance on Palestinian rights.
South Africa has played a leading role in the International Court of Justice [ICJ] case accusing the "Israeli" entity of genocide in Gaza.
Last month, the White House announced that it would cut off US aid to South Africa in response to Pretoria’s legal action against the "Israeli" entity.
South Africa filed the ICJ case on December 29, 2023, accusing the "Israeli" entity of violating the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide during its Gaza offensive.
On January 26, 2024, the ICJ issued an interim ruling, ordering the "Israeli" entity to take immediate measures to prevent genocide and allow humanitarian assistance into Gaza.
South Africa submitted additional evidence on October 28, 2024, supporting its claims, while the ICJ has given the "Israeli" entity until July 28, 2025, to submit its counter-memorial.
Ebrahim Rasool, who previously served as South Africa’s ambassador to the US from 2010 to 2015 during President Barack Obama’s administration, was reappointed to the post in January 2025 under President Cyril Ramaphosa’s government.
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