Marco Rubio seeks to expel South African ambassador after he criticized Trump, Musk and Vance | EUROtoday

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is in search of to expel South Africa’s ambassador to the U.S. Ebrahim Rasool, after the official criticized Donald Trump throughout a discussion board early on Friday.

“South Africa’s Ambassador to the United States is no longer welcome in our great country,” Rubio wrote on X later that day.

He accused Rasool of being “a race-baiting politician who hates America and hates [the president of the United States] @POTUS.”

“We have nothing to discuss with him and so he is considered PERSONA NON GRATA,” Rubio added.

The Independent has contacted the South African Embassy in Washington for remark.

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Rubio, in his announcement, pointed to remarks from Rasool at a latest panel hosted by the Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection, a South African assume tank.

During his feedback, Rasool argued that Trump’s Make American Great Again motion, in addition to Elon Musk and JD Vance’s efforts this yr boosting right-wing events within the UK and Germany, had been a part of a worldwide motion catering to the anxieties of white communities.

“It may not be true, it may not make sense, but that is not the dog whistle that is being heard in a global, white base,” the ambassador mentioned.

The ambassador, who served the identical submit within the Obama administration, had already reportedly been struggling to get conferences with Trump administration figures and prime Republicans in Washington.

“A man named Ebrahim, who is Muslim, with a history of pro-Palestine politics, is not likely to do well in that job right now,” a South African diplomat informed Semafor.

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The expulsion effort is the newest a swift deterioration that’s taken place within the U.S.-South Africa relationship through the opening months of the Trump administration.

Last month, the White House mentioned it could reduce off U.S. assist to South Africa in protest of the nation accusing Israel of genocide within the International Court of Justice.

The Trump administration additionally cited opposition to a land expropriation legislation meant to treatment the nation’s historical past of racial inequality and previous compelled displacement of Black households.

The White House has accused the legislation, which in some circumstances permits expropriation with out compensation, of being racist towards white Afrikaners in South Africa.

South Africa has additionally introduced plans to spend extra on well being, with cuts to the U.S. Agency for International Development. The nation cares for the world’s largest HIV inhabitants and has over 5 million of individuals on antiretroviral medication supported by the U.S. prior to now.

This is a breaking information story and might be up to date with new data.