Rasool’s ‘polarising’ comments spark US fury: ‘Unacceptable to every American’

Donald Trump

Cape Town – The US State Department spokesperson, Tammy Bruce, has strongly condemned comments made by South Africa’s Ambassador to the US, Ebrahim Rasool, describing them as “unacceptable”.

The remarks, in which Rasool referred to President Donald Trump as leading a white supremacist movement, were particularly criticised for undermining the expected diplomatic decorum between nations.

During a daily media briefing on Monday, Bruce emphasised that Rasool’s comments were inappropriate and did not reflect the respect expected from a diplomatic envoy.

“These remarks were unacceptable to the United States, not just to the president, but to every American. At the very least, what we should expect is a standard of basic respect — if you’re in a position that helps facilitate diplomatic relationships with another country,” she said, adding that ambassadors are expected to foster positive relations, not provoke tensions.

Bruce further clarified the US government’s position, stating, “You want people in each embassy who can actually facilitate a relationship.”

In addition to condemning Rasool’s remarks, Bruce revealed that the Trump administration is actively reviewing its policy toward South Africa. Areas of concern include the country’s controversial land expropriation policy, which has attracted international criticism, as well as its growing ties with Russia and Iran.

The review also addresses South Africa’s increasingly confrontational stance toward the US and its allies, including accusations against Israel, which have strained relations between the two countries.

Tensions escalated on Friday when US Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted on X that Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool was “persona non grata”.

“South Africa’s Ambassador to the United States is no longer welcome in our great country. Ebrahim Rasool is a race-baiting politician who hates America and hates @POTUS. We have nothing to discuss with him and so he is considered PERSONA NON GRATA,” Rubio wrote, sharing a link to an article from the conservative news outlet Breitbart.

The article reported that Rasool, in an online seminar, had described Trump’s Make America Great Again movement as “a white supremacist response to growing demographic diversity in the United States.”

Rubio labelled Rasool a “race-baiting politician” who despises President Trump.

Rasool has also faced criticism from former diplomat Kingsley Mathebula, who condemned his comments and suggested that they contributed to his expulsion from the post.

At a seminar hosted by the Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection, Rasool had remarked that Trump’s leadership was rooted in white supremacy.

Polarising language

Mathebula, who served as South Africa’s ambassador to Portugal and Kenya, argued that, regardless of the accuracy of Rasool’s views, expressing them publicly was undiplomatic.

“Once he started to venture into the domestic space, the language used was so polarised, and he got entangled in that. As a sitting ambassador, he should not have used such language to describe the president he’s accredited to,” Mathebula was quoted as saying by EWN.

Mathebula called Rasool’s actions reckless, particularly his use of polarising language about the US president.

Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the situation on Monday, saying that he expects a comprehensive report from Rasool following his abrupt removal from his diplomatic post.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Bana Pele Early Childhood Development Leadership Summit in Braamfontein, Gauteng, Ramaphosa acknowledged the diplomatic strain caused by Rasool’s remarks but emphasised that discussions with the US were ongoing.

“Ebrahim Rasool will be coming back soon as the US State Department has ruled that he is no longer acceptable in the US, and he is going to come back and give me a full report.

“So, I will wait for a full report from him. But at the same time, we have noted the displeasure that has been expressed by the United States, particularly about the remarks he made. We will engage with them as we are already engaging with them,” Ramaphosa said.

Rasool’s expulsion has raised concerns about the potential impact on South Africa-US relations, particularly in the areas of trade and diplomatic cooperation.

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