Pretoria is racing to appoint a new ambassador to the US after the abrupt expulsion of Ebrahim Rasool last week. Rasool’s scathing criticism of Trump – at a webinar last Tuesday – and support for Palestine allegedly led to his diplomatic downfall, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio calling him a “race-baiting politician” who hates Trump. His removal deepens strained US-South Africa relations, which have worsened since Trump’s return to office. Tensions are fueled by South Africa’s ICJ case against Israel and Trump’s claims that the land expropriation law, enacted in January, unfairly targets white people. While some officials urge Pretoria to reciprocate the expulsion, others suggest a carefully selected envoy to navigate the MAGA-dominated Washington landscape without further alienating US policymakers.
Source: SEMAFOR
