The U.S. is expelling South Africa’s ambassador, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, calling the envoy a “race-baiting politician” who hates President Donald Trump.
Ties have slumped since Trump cut U.S. financial aid to South Africa, citing disapproval of its land policy and its genocide case against Washington’s ally Israel at the International Court of Justice.
“South Africa’s Ambassador to the United States is no longer welcome in our great country,” Rubio said on Friday in a post on X about the rare barring of a nation’s top diplomat.
“Ebrahim Rasool is a race-baiting politician who hates America and hates @Potus (Trump).”
In statements from its presidency and international relations department, South Africa called the move regrettable but said it remained committed to building mutually beneficial relations and would address the matter via diplomatic channels.
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Rubio reposted an article from right-wing website Breitbart that quoted the envoy as saying that Trump was leading a white supremacist movement. He must depart by March 21, a State Department spokesperson said on Saturday.
Reuters was unable to contact Rasool or confirm his whereabouts.