South African Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool Returns to Cape Town After U.S. Expulsion, Expresses No Regrets

Cape Town, March 23, 2025, 11:30 AM PDT – South Africa’s expelled ambassador to the U.S., Ebrahim Rasool, returned to Cape Town on Sunday, declaring he has “no regrets” about his expulsion by the Trump administration. Speaking to a boisterous crowd at Cape Town International Airport, Rasool addressed his ousting, which followed U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s March 14 declaration of him as “persona non grata” for being a “race-baiting politician who hates America and President Trump,” as reported by Reuters and shared on X by @SAForeignAffairs.

Rasool’s Defiant Return

“We didn’t choose to come home, but we return without regrets,” Rasool told hundreds of supporters, per AFP. His expulsion, ordered on March 14, 2025, came amid strained U.S.-South Africa relations, exacerbated by Trump’s policies since his January 2025 return to power. On February 7, Trump cut hundreds of millions in U.S. aid to South Africa, citing its land expropriation laws, genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), and ties with Iran, per Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (web ID: 1).

South Africa’s presidency called the expulsion “regrettable,” with Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola labeling it “unprecedented,” per a March 15 statement on X by @DIRCO_ZA. Spokesperson Chrispin Phiri noted Rasool was set to meet key White House officials when the decision was announced, lamenting that it “sabotaged significant progress” in bilateral ties, particularly regarding South Africa’s role in the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), per CBS News (web ID: 2).

U.S.-South Africa Tensions

Rasool’s expulsion followed his March 14 webinar remarks accusing Trump of “mobilizing a supremacist agenda against those in power,” adding, “It’s unfortunate we’re the recipients of tweets that don’t help mend our relationship,” per The Conversation (web ID: 3). Rubio’s response, branding Rasool a Trump critic with anti-American sentiments, reflects broader U.S. grievances, including South Africa’s ICJ case accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza, as detailed in CBS News. Rasool’s past support for Hamas, a U.S.-designated terrorist group, further fueled tensions, per the same source.

South Africa’s government argued a diplomatic approach should have been taken, allowing Rasool to explain his comments, per Lamola’s statement. The move threatens Pretoria’s AGOA status, which facilitates tariff-free exports to the U.S., a concern raised in a 2024 The Conversation analysis on U.S.-South Africa trade relations (web ID: 3).

Domestic Reactions in South Africa

The expulsion sparked widespread reactions in South Africa, Africa’s largest economy. The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), a radical left party with nearly 10% of the vote in the 2024 elections, accused Trump of being the “grand wizard of a global Ku Klux Klan,” per News24. Posts on X, like @EFFSouthAfrica’s, echoed this sentiment, while @ANCSupporter urged diplomatic restraint to preserve U.S. ties. Rasool’s return drew significant support, with X videos by @CapeTownNews showing crowds chanting in solidarity.

Broader Implications

Rasool’s ousting, detailed in Reuters (web ID: 0), underscores Trump’s hardline stance on nations critical of his administration or Israel, as seen in his February 2025 aid cuts to South Africa (web ID: 1). The incident risks further straining U.S.-South Africa relations, already complicated by Pretoria’s balancing act between Western and BRICS partners like China and Russia, per The Conversation (web ID: 3). As of 11:30 AM PDT, South Africa has not announced a new ambassador, with analysts on X like @AfricaDiplomacy predicting a prolonged diplomatic rift.