Ebrahim Rasool, South Africa’s ambassador to the United States, has said he has “no regrets” after being expelled by the US government, following a public spat with Donald Trump’s administration. Rasool arrived back in South Africa on Sunday, where he was greeted with raucous applause and chants by hundreds of supporters at Cape Town International Airport.
The incident reflects the growing tensions between South Africa and the US, which have been escalating since Trump took office in January. Rasool, 62, was declared unwelcome in the US after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused him of being a “race-baiting politician who hates America.” This followed Rasool’s comments that Trump was “mobilising a supremacism” amidst fears that America’s white population would soon become a minority.
Rasool defended his remarks upon arrival in Cape Town, stating that his comments, made during a webinar hosted by a South African think tank, were intended to “alert” South African intellectuals and political leaders to significant shifts in global politics, particularly in how South Africa was positioned in the US. He emphasised that the old approach to US-South Africa relations was no longer effective and needed rethinking.
At the airport, members of the African National Congress (ANC), South African Communist Party, and various trade unions were present to welcome Rasool, singing and dancing in celebration. Placards read, “Ebrahim Rasool, you have served our country with honour!!!” showing strong support for the ambassador.
RRasool’s expulsion is a rare and significant move by the United States, as it is unusual for a senior diplomat to be expelled, though lower-ranking diplomats occasionally face such measures. The expulsion highlights the deteriorating relations between the two countries over the past months
