U.S.-South Africa Relations Hit New Low as Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool Expelled

The Trump administration has expelled South Africa’s Ambassador to the United States, Ebrahim Rasool, in what marks the lowest point in relations between the two nations in decades.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the decision on Friday, calling Rasool a “race-baiting politician” and declaring him “persona non grata.” The South African diplomat has been given until March 21 to leave the country.

“South Africa’s Ambassador to the United States is no longer welcome in our great country,” Rubio posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Neither the State Department nor Rubio’s office provided further explanation for the unprecedented move, but the decision comes amid growing tensions over South Africa’s land reform policies, its genocide case against Israel, and Trump’s recent cuts to U.S. aid to South Africa.

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South Africa Responds: “Regrettable, but We Remain Committed to Diplomacy”

The South African government has condemned the expulsion but has stopped short of escalating tensions further.

A statement from President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office expressed disappointment, saying:

“South Africa remains committed to building a mutually beneficial relationship with the United States of America.”

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) also issued a measured response, indicating that Pretoria would seek diplomatic channels to address the issue.

However, privately, government officials have described the move as an act of political retaliation and a sign of Trump’s hardline stance toward South Africa.

What Led to Rasool’s Expulsion?

1. The Trump Administration’s Opposition to South Africa’s Land Reform Law

Trump has repeatedly criticised South Africa’s Expropriation Act, which allows the government to reclaim land for public interest without compensation in certain cases.

He has falsely claimed that land is being seized from white South African farmers (Afrikaners), despite the South African government insisting no land has been expropriated without due process.

“South Africa is confiscating land and treating certain classes of people very badly,” Trump said in a February executive order that froze all U.S. aid to the country.

Trump’s advisor and close ally Elon Musk, a South African-born billionaire, has also weighed in, accusing the South African government of racially discriminating against white farmers.

Additionally, Trump has announced a plan to fast-track refugee status for Afrikaners, a move that South African officials have dismissed as political posturing.

2. Rasool’s Remarks on Trump and U.S. Politics

The final straw appears to have been a webinar Rasool participated in on Friday, where he made critical remarks about the Trump administration.

In the discussion, Rasool suggested that the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement was responding to demographic shifts that would make white Americans a minority by 2045.

“We see it in the domestic politics of the U.S.A., the MAGA movement, as a response not simply to a supremacist instinct, but to very clear data that shows great demographic shifts in the U.S.A.,” Rasool said.

Rubio cited Breitbart, a far-right news outlet, which framed Rasool’s remarks as evidence that he was “attacking Trump and white Americans.”

Watch the video on X: https://x.com/CalltoActivism/status/1900716292237074446

3. U.S.-South Africa Tensions Over Israel and Palestine

The diplomatic crisis comes just months after South Africa filed a genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over its military operations in Gaza.

The Trump administration, a staunch supporter of Israel, has accused South Africa of acting as a proxy for Hamas.

South Africa has rejected these claims, arguing that its case at the ICJ is based on international law and human rights principles.

“South Africa’s historic ties to the Palestinian struggle are well known,” said DIRCO Minister Naledi Pandor earlier this year. “This is not about sides, it is about justice.”

Trump has since labelled South Africa’s government “anti-American” and cut off U.S. foreign aid to Pretoria.

What Happens Next?

South Africa now faces a difficult diplomatic challenge in balancing its economic and political ties with the U.S. while maintaining its sovereignty.

The expulsion of an ambassador is an extreme measure in international diplomacy and is rarely used, even during Cold War tensions.

Political analysts warn that relations between Washington and Pretoria may deteriorate further, particularly as Trump has signalled a more aggressive stance toward African nations that do not align with his policies.

Key questions moving forward:

• Will South Africa retaliate by expelling the U.S. ambassador in Pretoria?
• How will this impact trade relations, given that the U.S. is South Africa’s third-largest trading partner?
• Could Trump’s interference in South Africa’s land policies escalate tensions?

For now, the South African government appears to be prioritising diplomacy over escalation. However, with Trump and Musk continuing to frame South Africa as a hostile actor, tensions may not ease anytime soon.