The United States has strongly condemned the remarks made by South Africa’s ambassador to the U.S., Ebrahim Rasool, regarding former President Donald Trump. The criticism came after Rasool was quoted in an article saying that Trump was leading a white supremacist movement. In response, the U.S. decided to expel Rasool, citing the offensive nature of his comments.
The incident has further strained relations between the two countries, which had already been tense following Trump’s decision to cut U.S. financial aid to South Africa. The aid cuts were attributed to Trump’s disapproval of South Africa’s land policy and its legal case against Israel at the International Court of Justice.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed his dissatisfaction with Rasool’s remarks, calling him a “race-baiting politician” who harbored animosity toward Trump. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Rubio announced the expulsion and shared an article from the right-wing Breitbart news website.
State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce further emphasized that such remarks were unacceptable, stressing that ambassadors should demonstrate a basic level of respect when representing their countries. She stated that the U.S. expected a standard of respect, especially in positions that help maintain diplomatic relations.