South Africa says envoy expulsion 'regrettable' but ties with US remain strong
The US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, announced on Friday that Rasool was "no longer welcome," accusing him of being a "race-baiting politician" critical of President Donald Trump.
South Africa has said the decision of the United States to expel Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool is “regrettable,” but the country “remains committed to building a mutually beneficial relationship” with the United States of America.
In a statement posted on X, South Africa's Presidency acknowledged the regrettable development and called on all stakeholders to engage with the issue in a manner consistent with established diplomatic norms.
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"The Presidency has noted the regrettable expulsion of South Africa’s Ambassador to the United States of America, Mr. Ebrahim Rasool. The presidency urges all relevant and impacted stakeholders to maintain the established diplomatic decorum in their engagement with the matter. South Africa remains committed to building a mutually beneficial relationship with the United States of America," the statement read.
The US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, announced on Friday that Rasool was "no longer welcome," accusing him of being a "race-baiting politician" critical of President Donald Trump. The decision followed a webinar in which Rasool discussed demographic shifts in the US and critiqued some of the Trump administration's policies.
Rubio linked his remarks to an article published by the right-wing media outlet Breitbart, quoting Rasool as saying that Trump used a "supremacist instinct" and "white victimhood" as a "dog whistle" during the 2024 elections.
The move marks an escalation in tensions between the two countries, which have also clashed over South Africa's controversial land reform policy.
Trump has previously claimed that South Africa’s white minority faces discrimination under the new land law. However, Pretoria has firmly rejected these allegations, insisting that the law is intended to correct historical injustices from the apartheid era.
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