Presidency Notes Marco Rubio’s Expulsion of Ebrahim Rasool Who Declared Him Persona Non Grata

• In a surprising move, the United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, expelled South Africa's Ambassador to the United States, Ebrahim Rasool
• Rubio tweeted on X and accused Rasool of being a race-baiting politician who hates the United States
• Rubio's announcement did not move South Africans, and many slammed the US for bullying tendencies and the Presidency noted the decision

Tebogo Mokwena, affiliated with Briefly News, provided local and international political analysis and interviews in South Africa for Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News during his nine years of experience.

USA — South Africans were not moved after the United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, expelled South Africa's US Ambassador, Ebrahim Rasool.

Why did Rubio expel Rasool?

Rubio posted the announcement on his X account @SecRubio. He said Rasool is no longer welcome in the United States of America. He called him a race-baiting politician who hates America and its president, Donald Trump. He then declared him a persona non grata, which means he is not welcome in the US.

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Experts slam Cyril Ramaphosa's foreign policy stance after Ebrahim Rasool's exit

Read the X tweet here:

What did the Presidency say?

The presidency tweeted on its X account @PresidencyZA that it noted the expulsion as regrettable. It said the government continues to be committed to building a mutually beneficial relationship with the United States of America.

View the X tweet here:

Why did he expel Rasool?

Rubio shared a Breitbart article allegedly as part of his rationale for expelling Rasool. The article states that Rasool was recently addressing the Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection in Johannesburg. Rasool said Donald Trump's Make America Great Again movement was a white supremacist response to growing demographic diversity in the United States.

Rasool also said that the USA's demographic shifts show that the country's electorate would be 48% white in the future. He also said that Trump's support for Afrikaners is a dog whistle used to project white victimhood.

Read also

Ebrahim Rasool unbothered after Marco Rubio expelled him from Washington

What has been happening between the US and South Africa?

Diplomatic tensions between the two countries have been developing since Trump signed an Executive Order granting Afrikaners refugee status. Trump's secretary of state also announced that he would sit out the G20 summit in Johannesburg in November because of alleged human rights violations against Afrikaners. Trump's contention with the South African government became evident after President Cyril Ramaphosa signed the Expropriation Act into law.

What you need to know about SA-US relations

• Trump signed an executive order freezing aid to South Africa and opening the door for Afrikaners to resettle as refugees.
• Rubio chimed in and slammed the government for being oppressive to Afrikaners, announcing that he would not attend the G20 summit.
• The head of the Department of Government Efficiency Musk also accused the government of having racist laws.

What did South Africans say?

Read also

Ronald Lamola dismayed by US government's process of expelling ambassador Ebrahim Rasool

Netizens commenting on Rubio's tweet were nonchalant. Some slammed him.

nico sais:

"We welcome the decision. God bless our beautiful country South Africa."

Yours, sincerely said:

"Another USA politician spewing hot air. I'd focus on your crashing economy if I were you."

Some commented on the Presidency's tweet.

Palesa Moroenyane said:

"Expel their ambassadors well. The gloves are out."

Field Marshall C'embo said:

"Our country is not an American colony."

Meashack Mathe Bevhula said:

"What are we waiting for? Let's do the same to their embassy as well now!"

US government urges Afrikaners to apply for US Citizenship

In a related article, Briefly News reported that the US government called on Afrikaners to apply for citizenship in the US. Trump continued to claim falsely that the South African government is doing terrible things.

The United States Embassy said the US Department of State was coordinating with the Homeland Security Department to resettle Afrikaners. The announcement elicited mixed reactions online.

Proofreading by Roxanne Dos Ramos, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.

Source: Briefly News