‘Race-baiting’ Donald Trump hater: US expels South Africa’s envoy Ebrahim Rasool — No longer welcome’

The Trump administration has expelled South Africa's ambassador Ebrahim Rasool to the United States, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, calling him a "race-baiting politician" who hates President Donald Trump.

In a post on social media platform X on Friday, Rubio said: "South Africa's Ambassador to the United States is no longer welcome in our great country."

"Ebrahim Rasool is a race-baiting politician who hates America and hates @Potus (Trump)."

Slumped ties

The development comes amid slumped ties since Trump cut US 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.

In a reaction to this, South Africa called the move regrettable and said it remained committed to building mutually beneficial relations and would address the matter via diplomatic channels.

Rubio reposted an article from right-wing website Breitbart that quoted the envoy as saying that Trump was leading a white supremacist movement.

Rasool must depart by March 21, a State Department spokesperson said on Saturday.

The US is also reviewing its South Africa policy, the spokesperson added, citing the land policy, South Africa's growing ties with countries like Russia and Iran and "aggressive positions" toward the US and allies.

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

Earlier this week, News website Semafor reported that Rasool has failed to secure routine meetings with State Department officials and key Republican party figures since Trump took office in January,

Rasool presented his credentials to then-President Joe Biden on January 13, a week before Trump took office, according to the embassy's website, for a second stint in Washington.

In January, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa signed into law a bill 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 as evening out racial disparities in ownership in the Black-majority nation and said the government had not confiscated any land.