The Presidency has called the expulsion of its ambassador to the United States Ebrahim Rasool “regrettable”.
This is a significant development in the escalating tensions between South Africa and the United States since President Donald Trump took office.
The Presidency expressed a commitment to maintaining diplomatic decorum and reiterated South Africa’s dedication to fostering a beneficial relationship with the United States.
However, this diplomatic nicety belies the underlying tensions that have been simmering beneath the surface. This time, at the heart of the controversy, are the outspoken remarks by Rasool, which have now led to his expulsion from Washington, D.C.
Rasool declared persona non grata
The tipping point came when U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared Rasool as “persona non grata”. Taking to social media, Rubio accused Rasool of being a “race-baiting politician” who hated America and its president, Donald Trump.
On Friday Rasool did not shy away from expressing his opinions on U.S. domestic and foreign policies. Speaking at the Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection (MISTRA) in Johannesburg, Rasool launched a scathing critique of Trump, accusing him of leading a “white supremacist movement” both domestically and internationally.
According to Rasool, Trump’s foreign policy stances, particularly against South Africa’s property expropriation legislation and alliances with nations such as Iran and Hamas, were motivated by a supremacist ideology.
Supremacist assault on incumbency
“Trump’s Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement is a white supremacist response to growing demographic diversity in the United States,” Rasool stated. He argued that the movement represented a “supremacist assault on incumbency”, both in the U.S. and abroad.
Rasool said that the MAGA rhetoric was not just instinctively nativist or racist but was supported by demographic data indicating a shifting voter base in America.
Such bold statements, according to Rasool, were part of a broader pattern of global white victimhood, with Afrikaners in South Africa being co-opted into this narrative to portray a sense of global embattlement among white communities.
His remarks drew a direct connection between Trump’s policies and global movements, proposing an “export of revolution” in which individuals such as Elon Musk and Nigel Farage contribute to the reinforcement of this narrative in Europe.
South Africa could lead a pushback campaign
Rasool suggested South Africa could spearhead a global pushback against Trump’s alleged white supremacy. He positioned South Africa as “the historical antidote to supremacism“, implying that the nation’s legacy of overcoming apartheid could serve as a guiding light for those opposing supremacist ideologies.
In Rasool’s defence, former COPE leader Mbhazima Shilowa wrote on X: “The US can opine about our country, but we can’t on theirs. US Embassy staff can opine about our politics, but we can’t about theirs. Criticise Rasool by all means, but point out what he said that the US embassy staff hasn’t said here, including meddling in our affairs.”
Interestingly, Rasool also acknowledged certain aspects of Trump’s approach that aligned with South Africa’s interests. In his view, Trump’s “healthy disrespect” of western institutions is equivalent to “a broken clock being right twice a day”.
This nuanced perspective indicates that Rasool, while critical of the U.S. administration, recognised opportunities for South Africa to advocate for reforms within global institutions.
