South Africa’s former ambassador to the United States, Ebrahim Rasool, returned home on Sunday to a hero’s welcome after being expelled by Washington amid rising tensions between the two nations. Greeted by hundreds of supporters in Cape Town, Rasool maintained a defiant stance, insisting that he had no regrets about his diplomatic tenure and the controversial remarks that led to his ouster.
The United States expelled Rasool last week, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio accusing him of being a “race-baiting politician” who was hostile toward former President Donald Trump. Rasool had previously criticized Trump’s Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement, describing it as a supremacist reaction to diversity in the U.S. His comments, he argued, were an analysis of political dynamics rather than an attack on Trump’s administration.
“It was not our choice to come home, but we come home with no regrets,” Rasool told supporters at Cape Town International Airport. “The fact that what I said caught the attention of the president and the secretary of state and moved them enough to declare me persona non grata says that the message went to the highest office.”
Tensions between South Africa and the U.S. have been escalating in recent months, with Washington cutting financial aid to Pretoria. Trump’s administration cited concerns over South Africa’s land reform policies, which he alleged targeted white farmers, as well as its genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Trump further inflamed the situation by inviting South African farmers to relocate to the U.S., claiming—without evidence—that their land was being confiscated.
Rasool acknowledged that efforts to counter misinformation about South Africa’s land reform had been unsuccessful in the U.S. but insisted that Pretoria must remain steadfast in its values. “We should not mend ties with Washington by sacrificing our principles,” he said.
South Africa, currently holding the presidency of the G20, has stated that improving relations with the U.S. remains a priority. President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to receive a report from Rasool on Monday, while also planning diplomatic engagements with American officials and business leaders to navigate the strained relationship.
