WASHINGTON – US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday that South Africa’s ambassador to the U.S. is no longer welcome in the United States.
In a post on X, Rubio wrote: “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.
“We have nothing to discuss with him and so he is considered PERSONA NON GRATA.”
Rasool, a veteran diplomat who also served as South Africa’s ambassador to Washington during the Obama administration, was appointed back to the post in November.
Relations between Pretoria and Washington have deteriorated rapidly since Trump returned to the White House.
Last month he cut all federal funding to South Africa, which has relied on US support for programs to combat HIV/AIDS and to finance climate initiatives, citing criticism of a new land law in South Africa and the country’s position on Israel.
Four congressmen also led calls for Africa’s most industrialized economy to be excluded from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which provides duty-free access to the US.
