Marco Rubio Declares South African Ambassador ‘No Longer Welcome’ in the US.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has declared that South Africa’s ambassador to the United States, Ebrahim Rasool, is “no longer welcome” in the country, escalating diplomatic tensions between the two nations.
Rubio made the announcement in a blunt post on X, accusing Rasool of being a “race-baiting politician who hates America and hates” President Donald Trump.
“We have nothing to discuss with him, and so he is considered PERSONA NON GRATA,” Rubio wrote. Being labeled persona non grata is one of the most serious diplomatic measures, often resulting in the immediate expulsion of the individual from the host country.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa responded to the decision, calling it “regrettable” and emphasizing his commitment to maintaining a “mutually beneficial relationship” with the US.
“The Presidency urges all relevant stakeholders to maintain the established diplomatic decorum in their engagement with the matter,” Ramaphosa’s office said in a statement.
Tensions Rise After Rasool’s Remarks
Rubio’s declaration followed Rasool’s comments at a think tank event on Friday, where he analyzed Trump’s rise to power and the global political shifts that followed. His remarks were linked to an article from the right-wing outlet Breitbart, which appeared to fuel the controversy.
In his speech, Rasool addressed the broader political landscape under both the Biden and Trump administrations. He argued that Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement reflects deeper demographic changes in the US.
“What Donald Trump is launching is an assault on incumbency — those who are in power — by mobilizing a supremacism against the incumbency at home and abroad,” Rasool said.
He noted that the shifting demographics in the US, where the white voting population is projected to drop to 48%, are contributing to political instability.
“That shift needs to be factored in when analyzing some of the things that seem instinctive or nativist. There’s data supporting this — things like the border wall, the deportation push, and other reactionary policies,” he added.
Rasool also mentioned Elon Musk, suggesting that his involvement in right-wing politics in Britain and his connections to figures like US Vice President JD Vance, who recently met with a far-right German leader, reflect a broader agenda.
“That then raises the question: What role are Afrikaners playing in this whole project? Clearly, it’s about projecting white victimhood as a political tool,” Rasool said.
The diplomatic spat comes on the heels of South Africa’s new Expropriation Act, which allows the government to seize land without compensation in some cases to address historical inequalities from the apartheid era.
Under apartheid, Black South Africans were forcibly removed from their land, leaving over 80% of the population with control over just 4% of private land. The Expropriation Act aims to reverse that legacy by redistributing land in a manner that is “just and equitable.”
Ramaphosa defended the policy as a necessary step toward social justice. “This legislation ensures public access to land in an equitable and just manner,” he stated.
However, the Trump administration has fiercely opposed the policy. Both Trump and Musk have claimed that it discriminates against white South African farmers.
In February, Rubio pulled out of a G20 foreign ministers’ meeting in Johannesburg, criticizing South Africa’s stance.
“Expropriating private property. Using G20 to promote ‘solidarity, equality, and sustainability.’ In other words: DEI and climate change,” Rubio said at the time. “My job is to advance America’s national interests, not waste taxpayer money or coddle anti-Americanism.”
Just days after Rubio’s statement, Trump announced the suspension of US aid to South Africa, citing discrimination against white farmers. In the same executive order, Trump said the US would support the resettlement of Afrikaner refugees facing “government-sponsored race-based discrimination.”
Earlier this month, Trump also took to social media, saying, “Any farmer (with family!) from South Africa seeking to flee that country for reasons of safety will be invited into the United States of America with a rapid pathway to citizenship.”
