Sun Mar 23 14:33:33 UTC 2025: ## Expelled South African Ambassador Returns Home to Hero’s Welcome, Defies Trump Administration
CAPE TOWN, South Africa – Ebrahim Rasool, South Africa’s former ambassador to the United States, returned to a tumultuous welcome on Sunday after being expelled by the Trump administration. He defiantly characterized his persona non grata status as a “badge of dignity,” rejecting the US’s accusations.
Rasool and his wife were greeted by a large and enthusiastic crowd at Cape Town International Airport, requiring a police escort to navigate the throngs of supporters. Addressing the crowd with a megaphone, Rasool stated that while the expulsion was intended to humiliate, the warm reception proved otherwise.
The expulsion followed an executive order by former President Trump cutting all US funding to South Africa, alleging support for Hamas and Iran, and accusing the government of pursuing anti-white policies. These accusations followed South Africa’s filing of a genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), a move supported by over 10 other countries.
Rasool emphasized that his return wasn’t about anti-American sentiment, but rather a call for repairing the damaged US-South Africa relationship. He pushed back against accusations leveled by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who labelled Rasool a “race-baiting politician” who hates the US and Trump, citing a webinar where Rasool discussed the Trump administration’s policies on diversity, equity, and immigration.
The expulsion of a foreign ambassador is highly unusual, highlighting the strained relations between the two countries under the Trump administration. Rasool’s return and defiant stance mark a significant moment in the ongoing diplomatic dispute.
First Piper 