Exiled South African envoy urges U.S. relations reset

Former South African Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool received a hero’s welcome upon his return home Sunday after being expelled from the United States and declared persona non grata by the Trump administration.

Hundreds of supporters gathered at Cape Town International Airport, singing songs in his praise as he and his wife, Rosieda, arrived. Police escorted the couple through the crowd.

Addressing his supporters, Rasool emphasized the need to mend South Africa’s strained relationship with the U.S. “We don’t come here to say we are anti-American,” he said. “We are not here to call on you to throw away our interests with the United States.”

His expulsion comes amid growing tensions between Washington and Pretoria. Last month, President Donald Trump signed an executive order cutting all U.S. funding to South Africa, accusing its government of supporting Hamas and Iran while implementing what he called “anti-white policies” domestically.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who announced Rasool’s expulsion on March 14, labeled him a “race-baiting politician” and accused him of harboring hostility toward Trump and the U.S.

It is rare for the U.S. to expel a foreign ambassador, and Rasool’s removal has deepened the diplomatic rift between the two nations. His comments signal a call for dialogue, but it remains unclear whether Washington will be open to resetting ties with Pretoria.