President Trump’s administration has officially expelled South Africa’s ambassador to the United States, according to a spokesman for the South African president, who described the decision as “regrettable.”
The ambassador, Ebrahim Rasool, received an expulsion letter from the State Department, as confirmed by Vincent Magwenya, spokesman for President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa. This action occurs amid strained relations between the two nations, with President Trump accusing Mr. Ramaphosa’s government of discriminating against South Africa’s white minority and aligning with Iran.
A statement from Mr. Ramaphosa’s office emphasized the importance of maintaining “the established diplomatic decorum.” It reiterated South Africa’s commitment to fostering a mutually beneficial relationship with the United States.
The first indication of Mr. Rasool’s expulsion emerged as Secretary of State Marco Rubio returned from a Group of 7 allies meeting in Canada. Mr. Rubio stated on social media that South Africa’s ambassador was a “race-baiting politician who hates America” and Mr. Trump, declaring him PERSONA NON GRATA. This designation necessitates the termination of Mr. Rasool’s role as ambassador.
Mr. Rubio’s comments followed a repost of an article from a right-leaning news site, which quoted Mr. Rasool’s remarks made via video link to an institute in Johannesburg, where he described Mr. Trump as leading a “supremacist” movement against those in power in South Africa.
The 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations allows a host country to declare any member of a diplomatic mission persona non grata without needing to explain its decision. In such cases, the sending state must either recall the individual or terminate their functions.
Last month, Mr. Rubio declined to attend a meeting of top diplomats from the Group of 20 nations, criticizing the South African hosts for focusing on “solidarity, equality and sustainability.” Other countries did not join Mr. Rubio’s boycott.
Additionally, President Trump signed an executive order prioritizing the resettlement of Afrikaners, a white minority group in South Africa, whom he referred to as “victims of unjust racial discrimination.” This claim was made despite the South African government’s new land reform bill, which Mr. Trump alleged involved land seizures. He also ordered the federal government to cut off all aid to South Africa.
Despite the ongoing tensions with the White House, President Ramaphosa has expressed a desire to repair relations and maintain strong ties with the United States, which is South Africa’s second-largest trading partner. His government is preparing a trade proposal aimed at demonstrating the mutual benefits of a relationship with South Africa.