Expelled by Trump for Speaking Truth, South Africa’s Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool Returns Home to Hero’s Welcome

South African Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool returned home to a hero’s welcome on March 24, 2025, after being expelled from the United States by the Trump administration. 

The declaration of persona non grata—typically a diplomatic insult meant to humiliate—was anything but for Rasool, who was received with songs of praise and a crowd so large that police assistance was needed to manage the gathering at Cape Town International Airport. 

Addressing the supporters with a megaphone, Rasool proclaimed, “A declaration of persona non grata is meant to humiliate you. But when you return to crowds like this, and with warmth… like this, then I will wear my persona non grata as a badge of dignity.” 

Rasool’s expulsion is the latest episode in the deteriorating relations between South Africa and the United States. President Donald Trump had already issued an executive order halting financial aid to South Africa, citing allegations that the country was supporting Hamas and Iran and implementing anti-white policies. 

Admirers welcome Ebrahim Rasool at Airport

The ambassador’s forced removal was triggered by his comments in a webinar, where he analyzed Trump’s “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) movement as a reaction to demographic shifts in the U.S., describing it as a “response not simply to a supremacist instinct, but to very clear data that shows great demographic shifts in the USA in which the voting electorate in the USA is projected to become 48% white.” 

These remarks were labeled as race-baiting by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who declared Rasool persona non grata in a social media post, stating, “Rasool is a race-baiting politician who despises America.”

Rasool told a crowd that he will wear his persona non grata "as a badge of dignity.”

Despite the diplomatic fallout, Rasool stood firm. “It is not the US of Obama, it is not the US of Clinton—it is a different US, and therefore our language must change,” he said, emphasizing that his comments were an analysis of a political phenomenon rather than an attack on a country or a government. 

However, the consequences of this rift extend beyond Rasool’s personal status. The Trump administration’s decision to cut funding includes slashing PEPFAR, the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, raising concerns that “millions could be reinfected with HIV and AIDS” and that critical vaccine research may be derailed. 

“Those are the dangerous things that are happening and why we must mend our relationship or sit out the next four years,” Rasool warned. 

South Africa’s relationship with the U.S. has been further strained by its case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), labeling Israel as the perpetrator of merciless genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. 

More than ten countries have supported the case, which has infuriated the Trump administration, with the U.S. citing it as proof of South Africa’s alleged anti-American stance. Rasool, however, made it clear that South Africa would not back down. 

“We cannot sacrifice the Palestinians… but we will also not give up with our relationship with the United States. We must fight for it, but we must keep our dignity.” 

The crisis places President Cyril Ramaphosa’s government in a delicate balancing act. The U.S. has reportedly outlined a set of demands to improve relations, including repealing the Expropriation Act, withdrawing from the ICJ case, and severing ties with Iran.

These demands, seen as an attempt to dictate South African policy, have ignited controversy within the country. The government’s recent decision to pause renaming Sandton Drive to Leila Khaled Drive—after the U.S. threatened to shut down its consulate—sparked backlash. 

At stake is not just diplomatic decorum but South Africa’s economic stability. The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which sustains 35,000 South African jobs, hangs in the balance. 

Some argue that conceding to U.S. demands could safeguard these jobs, while others warn that this could set a dangerous precedent. 

“If South Africa concedes its moral standpoint, will it still have the robust economic relations we expect? The answer is probably not,” Hunter remarked. 

Israel is committing Genocide in Gaza

Meanwhile, U.S. support for Israel’s actions in Gaza has further complicated relations. The war, which has lasted for 533 days, has resulted in 50,021 deaths, 113,274 wounded, and over 11,000 people still missing. 

Washington has consistently provided military aid to Israel, including weapons and financial assistance, despite growing international condemnation. South Africa’s ICJ case aims to hold Israel accountable under the Genocide Convention, a move that the U.S. has vehemently opposed. 

Rasool acknowledged the gravity of the situation, stating, “As we stand here, the bombing (in Gaza) has continued and the shooting has continued, and if South Africa was not in the (International Court of Justice), Israel would not be exposed, and the Palestinians would have no hope.” 

With tensions escalating, Rasool remains steadfast in his belief that the U.S.-South Africa relationship must be repaired—but not at any cost. His return to South Africa was not one of defeat, but of defiance. 

“We don’t come here to say we are anti-American,” he told the crowd. “We are not here to call on you to throw away our interests with the United States.” The message from Cape Town was clear: South Africa is willing to mend ties, but it will not be bullied into submission.