South Africa ambassador Ebrahim Rasool has been expelled from the U.S. and labeled as “persona non grata,” or “unwelcome person,” due to a video conference in which he criticized the Trump administration’s attacks against diverse programs.
Who is the South Africa ambassador?
The South Africa ambassador currently in the U.S. is Ebrahim Rasool, a Cape Town native who grew up in South Africa and has been fighting against inequality in his home country.
According to Georgetown University, Rasool has an extensive background in academics, politics and advocacy.
“Ambassador Rasool has been the recipient of a number of awards [and] is active in rethinking the intellectual tools for co-operative relations between faiths, cultures and communities at a global level, and establishing dignity, inclusion and equity for those marginalized and excluded,” the website reads.
Before his many public achievements, Rasool attended the University of Cape Town, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in English and economic history; he has gone on to receive or pursue even higher education, including a Higher Diploma in education, literary criticism and humane letters.
He has been involved in politics for many years now. While he has been South Africa’s Ambassador to the United States multiple times before, he has done plenty of work within his own country.
“Previously he served as a Member of Parliament in South Africa’s National Assembly, Special Advisor to the State President and has built up extensive experience in various Departments like Health, Welfare, Finance and Economic Development in the capacity of Provincial Minister,” Georgetown University states.
One issue he has primarily fought against in his life is apartheid. Apartheid was a system of institutionalized racial segregation in South Africa from mid- to late-1900s; it was enforced by the White minority within South Africa against the African majority.
Aspects of apartheid continue to exist to this day, and it is a struggle that has not ended and will not end for some time. Rasool has identified some of the elements of apartheid within the United States, which became a major controversy in a discussion he led on Friday, March 14.
What claims does the Trump Administration have?
In his video conference, Rasool led an academic discussion about the Trump administration’s actions towards Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs, as well as immigration. He talked about how the administration is striking down support for diverse groups– he also mentioned the statistic that the voting electorate in the U.S. is going to fall below 50% White, making White a minority.
AP News author Ellen Knickmeyer explained his video lecture in detail.
“He [also] pointed to Musk’s outreach to far-right figures in Europe, calling it a ‘dog whistle’ in a global movement trying to rally people who see themselves as part of an ‘embattled white community,’” Knickmeyer stated.
There were no direct attacks towards Trump or the officially elected officials in U.S. office; instead, Rasool offered advice on how to deal with the Trump administration while not demonizing the U.S. as a whole.
This discussion quickly upset U.S. officials, including President Donald Trump, DOGE head Elon Musk and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Attacks against Rasool and South Africa have been prevalent from these leaders for some time now, with Trump and Musk claiming that South Africa is “anti-White” due to recent laws, as well as some refusal to work with Musk’s company Starlink.
It came to a head with Rasool’s videoconference, and Rubio made the demand that Rasool must leave the U.S., as he is no longer welcome.
“Rubio, in a post on X, accused Ebrahim Rasool of being a ‘race-baiting politician’ who hates President Donald Trump. Rubio declared the South African diplomat ‘persona non grata,’” Knickmeyer stated.
Persona non grata is an incredibly rare accusation which means “unwelcome person” in Latin. When someone is persona non grata, they are no longer welcome in their host country; the title is often given to diplomats or other foreign positions.
It is highly unusual for the U.S. to declare a foreign ambassador persona non grata.
Current updates
According to Matthew Lee, another writer for AP News, Rasool was soon called to the State Department, where he received an official diplomatic note that, in simple terms, has kicked Rasool out of the U.S.
“[State Department representatives[ said Rasool’s diplomatic privileges and immunities expired Monday and that he would be required to leave the United States by Friday,” Lee said.
Rasool has since written that he and his family are “all packed up and looking forward to returning to South Africa,” and that he was leaving the U.S. with “no regrets.”
The South African government has expressed displeasure with the unprofessional manner in which the U.S. expelled Rasool from his position, as Rubio announced on social media his expulsion before informing him formally.
“But this is the reality that we also have to contend with with this administration. That it does seem as though Twitter (X) is the preferred mode of communication,” a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said.
It is unknown whether or not Rasool has left the country as of the time of this publication.
