Johannesburg – Senior government officials in South Africa have distanced themselves from their ambassador to the United States, Ebrahim Rasool, following his dramatic expulsion from the US after comments he made about US President Donald Trump and his administration. The move represents a significant escalation in the already strained diplomatic relations between Washington and Pretoria.
The expulsion was triggered by reports that Rasool accused President Trump of spreading "supremacism" during an address to the Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection (Mistra). In the address, Rasool accused Trump of leading a global white supremacist movement and dismantling established diplomatic norms.
Rasool said: "What Donald Trump is launching is an assault on incumbency, those who are in power, by mobilising a supremacism against the incumbency, at home, and – I think I’ve illustrated – abroad as well."
He continued: "So in terms of that, the supremacist assault on incumbency, we see it in the domestic politics of the US, the MAGA movement – the Make America Great Again movement – as a response not simply to a supremacist instinct, but to very clear data that shows great demographic shifts in the US in which the voting electorate in the US is projected to become 48% white."
He concluded: "And that the possibility of a majority of minorities is looming on the horizon. And so that needs to be factored in, so that we understand some of the things that we think are instinctive, nativist, racist things. I think that there’s data that, for example, would support that, that would go to this wall being built, the deportation movement, et cetera et cetera."
These comments sparked outrage within the Trump administration, with Rubio posting on X: "Ebrahim Rasool is a race-baiting politician who hates America and hates the president of the United States. We have nothing to discuss with him and so he is considered PERSONA NON GRATA." Rubio's post also included a link to a Breitbart news story referencing Rasool's remarks.
Senior South African government officials, speaking to City Press on condition of anonymity, have distanced themselves from Rasool's actions, emphasising that his expulsion should not be linked to the broader relationship between the two countries, which the South African government has been actively trying to improve. These officials characterised Rasool's behaviour as undiplomatic and deserving of the sanction imposed.
"He knows how diplomats should behave, but he failed. He crossed the line. So you can't fault the decision to take action against him," one official said. "When you are a diplomat, there are certain things you can’t say in public. If you do want to say something, you cannot say it in a way that attacks the host country. It is not done. A diplomat cannot behave like a political analyst. If the US ambassador had behaved the same way here, we would have acted as well."
The officials cited previous instances where the US ambassador to South Africa was cautioned after making public statements about a potential terror attack in the country without consulting the South African government. They insisted that South Africa and the US were making progress in thawing their relationship and that Rasool's expulsion should not be interpreted as a sign of further deterioration.
US Senate foreign relations committee chairperson James E Risch also supported Rubio's stance, posting on X: "I applaud @secrubio for calling out the South African Ambassador's disgraceful, anti-American hate speech. Suffice it to say that he is not cut out for diplomacy."
In response to the escalating situation, spokesperson for International Relations and Co-operation Minister Lamola, Chrispin Phiri, posted on X: "We have noted the tweet by the US Secretary of State, Mr Marco Rubio. We will engage through the diplomatic channel." The Presidency, in a statement, described Rasool's expulsion as "regrettable" and urged "all relevant and impacted stakeholders to maintain the established diplomatic decorum in their engagement with the matter."
Rasool had been viewed with suspicion by some of Trump's supporters due to previous posts on X about the US president. His remarks at Mistra were seen as the final straw.
Government officials who spoke to City Press reiterated that Rasool should have understood that a diplomat communicates through official channels to their home country. "He left them (the US) with no choice. He played right into their hands and we can't defend him," one official stated.
The expulsion comes amid a series of actions taken by the Trump administration that have strained relations with South Africa. Trump cut US financial assistance to South Africa in an executive order last month, citing disapproval of its approach to land reform and its case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
President Ramaphosa has previously stated his desire to "do a deal with Trump" to resolve the disputes over South Africa's land policy and the ICJ case. "We don't want to go and explain ourselves. We want to go and do a meaningful deal with the US on a whole range of issues. I'm very positively inclined to promoting a good relationship with President Trump," Ramaphosa said.
South African Deputy President Paul Mashatile has suggested that while efforts to repair the relationship with the US should continue, the situation should also serve as a wake-up call for South Africa to reduce its reliance on the US. He emphasised the need to diversify trade and export relationships and find alternative funding sources for critical health programmes. He also cautioned about the potential loss of access to the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
Following the statement, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office urged “all relevant and impacted stakeholders” to maintain the established diplomatic decorum in their engagement on the matter.
It added that South Africa “remains committed to building a mutually beneficial relationship with the United States of America”.
