The United States has expelled South Africa’s Ambassador to the U.S., Ebrahim Rasool, after growing tensions between Pretoria and Washington.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Friday, March 14, 2025, that Rasool was “persona non grata” and would no longer be welcome in the United States.
He accused the diplomat of being a “race-baiting politician” who “hates America” and President Donald Trump.
The decision was shared via Rubio’s social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), where he also described the ambassador as someone with “no place in American diplomacy.”
In a post on X, Rubio added: “We have nothing to discuss with him. He is considered persona non grata.”
The announcement followed a controversial speech that Rasool delivered earlier that day, in which he criticized Trump’s administration and policies, particularly those related to the growing demographic shift in the United States and his “Make America Great Again” movement.
Rasool, a former anti-apartheid activist, was speaking at a webinar hosted by a South African think tank when he discussed the potential implications of an America where white people would no longer hold the majority in the near future.
Rasool linked this demographic shift to the rise of far-right ideologies in the U.S. and Europe, specifically pointing out Elon Musk’s connections to right-wing groups in Europe.
He referred to Musk’s outreach as a “dog whistle” to a global movement supporting what he saw as an “embattled white community.”
The expulsion marks the latest in a series of diplomatic spats between South Africa and the United States, which began intensifying earlier in the year.
In February 2025, Trump took a firm stance against South Africa’s controversial land reform laws, which he claimed would lead to the seizure of land from white farmers.
The former U.S. president froze U.S. aid to South Africa, citing concerns over the treatment of white farmers under the new legislation.
On March 7, 2025, Trump posted on his Truth Social platform: “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.”
This statement further fueled tensions between the two countries and was seen as a direct challenge to South African sovereignty.
Elon Musk, the billionaire founder of Tesla and SpaceX, has been a vocal critic of the South African government, particularly regarding what he sees as racially discriminatory ownership laws.
Musk, who was born in Pretoria, South Africa, has previously called the country’s policies “openly racist.”
Musk, however, has yet to publicly comment on Rasool’s expulsion.
Meanwhile, the South African government responded to the expulsion with disappointment.
President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed his regret over the decision.
In a statement released on March 14, the South African Presidency said: “We note the regrettable expulsion of our Ambassador to the United States. We urge all parties to respect established diplomatic protocols and continue dialogue in a constructive manner.”
Ramaphosa had previously attempted to mend relations with the U.S., stating in early 2025 that he had a “wonderful conversation” with Trump earlier in the year, but later admitted that relations seemed to “go a little bit off the rails.”
The current crisis is rooted in the ongoing legacy of South Africa’s apartheid system, which formally ended in 1994.
Despite over three decades of post-apartheid governance, South Africa remains largely unequal.
According to the latest government figures, about 7% of the population is white, yet they still control a disproportionate amount of land and wealth in the country.
Black South Africans, who make up 81% of the population, face widespread economic inequality, especially in rural areas where land ownership remains heavily skewed.
Land reform has been a contentious issue. While the South African government has attempted to address historical injustices by forming policies to redistribute land to black South Africans.
Critics, including Trump and Musk, argue that these policies unfairly target white farmers, leading to allegations of reverse racism.
