US declares South African ambassador 'persona non grata' for 'hating' Trump

WASHINGTON: The United States has expelled South Africa's ambassador, accusing him of showing hostility towards President Donald Trump, according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

"South Africa's Ambassador to the United States is no longer welcome in our great country," Rubio posted on X on Friday.

"Ebrahim Rasool is a race-baiting politician who hates America and hates @POTUS," he said, referring to Trump by his White House X account. "We have nothing to discuss with him, and so he is considered PERSONA NON GRATA."

The expulsion is the latest development in rising tensions between Washington and Pretoria.

Trump in February froze US aid to South Africa, citing a law in the country that he alleges allows land to be seized from white farmers.

One of Trump's closest allies is South African-born billionaire Elon Musk, who has accused South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s government of having "openly racist ownership laws."

Land ownership is a contentious issue in South Africa, with most farmland still owned by white people three decades after the end of apartheid and the government under pressure to implement reforms.

During a G20 event in South Africa last month, Ramaphosa said he had a "wonderful" call with Trump soon after the US leader took office in January.

But relations later "seemed to go a little bit off the rails," he said.