Expelled Ambassador to Wear US Sanctions as Badge of Honor
Following his expulsion from the U.S. and declaration as persona non grata by the Trump administration, former South African Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool returned home to a hero’s welcome. Rasool’s expulsion stemmed from comments he made about the MAGA movement and demographic shifts in the U.S., which he maintains were an academic analysis of political phenomena, not an attack on the nation. Despite the Trump administration’s cutting of all funding to South Africa and accusations of anti-Americanism, Rasool emphasized the importance of repairing the relationship between the two countries. He also affirmed South Africa’s commitment to its case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, rejecting pressure to drop the case.