The State Department has given South Africa's ambassador to the United States a deadline. Ebrahim Rasool must pack up and leave by Friday after the US declared him unwanted last week. When Secretary of State Marco Rubio decided Rasool was no longer welcome, officials called South African embassy workers to hand them an official letter. The government told them plainly that America rejects Rasool as their representative.
Rasool lost all his special diplomat protections on Monday according to officials. Nobody knows for sure if he remains in the country right at this moment. Rubio shared his decision through social media as he flew back from Canada after meeting with other world leaders. He attacked Rasool as someone who stirs up racial tensions and deeply dislikes President Donald Trump.
Rubio linked his message to a right-wing news story about Rasool speaking at an online event hosted by a South African research group. During this talk, the ambassador discussed how Trump ran the government as America moves toward a future where white citizens become less than half the population. Because Rasool joined by video, nobody could tell exactly where he was speaking from.
Kicking out an ambassador happens very rarely in American politics, though the US boots lower-level diplomats more often. This fits into a pattern of Trump going after South Africa. Just last month, he signed papers blocking money from going to the nation. Trump blasted the country for what he called anti-white rules at home and helping dangerous groups abroad like Hamas and Iran. President Cyril Ramaphosa responded by calling the expulsion unfortunate and asking his staff to stay professional about it, adding that his nation still wants good relations with America.
Rasool lost all his special diplomat protections on Monday according to officials. Nobody knows for sure if he remains in the country right at this moment. Rubio shared his decision through social media as he flew back from Canada after meeting with other world leaders. He attacked Rasool as someone who stirs up racial tensions and deeply dislikes President Donald Trump.
Rubio linked his message to a right-wing news story about Rasool speaking at an online event hosted by a South African research group. During this talk, the ambassador discussed how Trump ran the government as America moves toward a future where white citizens become less than half the population. Because Rasool joined by video, nobody could tell exactly where he was speaking from.
Kicking out an ambassador happens very rarely in American politics, though the US boots lower-level diplomats more often. This fits into a pattern of Trump going after South Africa. Just last month, he signed papers blocking money from going to the nation. Trump blasted the country for what he called anti-white rules at home and helping dangerous groups abroad like Hamas and Iran. President Cyril Ramaphosa responded by calling the expulsion unfortunate and asking his staff to stay professional about it, adding that his nation still wants good relations with America.
