₦airaland Forum

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday declared Ebrahim Rasool, South Africa's ambassador to the U.S., persona non grata, calling the envoy a "race-baiting politician" who hates America and President Donald Trump.

"South Africa's Ambassador to the United States is no longer welcome in our great country," Rubio said in a post on social media platform X. "We have nothing to discuss with him and so he is considered PERSONA NON GRATA," Rubio said.

Rasool presented his credentials to then-President Joe Biden on January 13, a week before Trump took office, marking the start of the envoy's tenure, according to the South African embassy's website. It said this was Rasool's second stint in Washington.
The U.S. State Department and South Africa's embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Chrispin Phiri, spokesperson for South Africa's Department of International Relations and Cooperation, posted on X that the government "will engage through the diplomatic channel."

Ties between the United States and South Africa have deteriorated since Trump cut U.S. financial aid to the country, citing disapproval of its land policy and of its genocide case at the International Court of Justice against Washington's ally Israel.

Trump has said, without citing evidence, that "South Africa is confiscating land" and that "certain classes of people" are being treated "very badly."

South African-born billionaire Elon Musk, who is close to Trump, has said white South Africans have been the victims of "racist ownership laws."

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa signed into law a bill in January aimed at making it easier for the state to expropriate land in the public interest, in some cases without compensating the owner.

Ramaphosa has defended the policy and said the government had not confiscated any land. The policy was aimed at evening out racial disparities in land ownership in the Black-majority nation, he said.

cococandy:
Elon Musk really is running America huh.

Oh the meltdown republicans would’ve had if Obama brought in his rich African friend to come call the shots in the USA. The hypocrisy of the right is mind blowing

God1000:
South Africa should do the same to them, the entire administration from the president to his vice and secretary of state are fools

fman:
Imagine

cococandy:
Elon Musk really is running America huh.

Oh the meltdown republicans would’ve had if Obama brought in his rich African friend to come call the shots in the USA. The hypocrisy of the right is mind blowing

CrownedPhoenix:
I like your signature. It's something to be proud of.

NSNO:
https://www.reuters.com/world/us-declares-south-africas-ambassador-persona-non-grata-2025-03-14/

cococandy:
Elon Musk really is running America huh.

Oh the meltdown republicans would’ve had if Obama brought in his rich African friend immigrant to come call the shots in the USA. The hypocrisy of the right is mind blowing

atiku4President:
Very good one. What they have been doing to Nigerians and citizens of other African countries. More is still coming their way. Karma is real. What a useless country filled with corrupt and wicked men that kill their wives and girlfriends like fowls