United States expels South African ambassador because he 'hates' Trump

(Patria) - The United States is expelling the South African ambassador to Washington, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday, accusing him of hating the country and President Donald Trump, AFP reported.

"South Africa's ambassador to the United States is no longer welcome in our great country," Rubio announced on social media X.

Ebrahim Rasool is a "race-baiting politician who hates America and hates @POTUS," he said, referring to Trump on his White House X profile. "We have nothing to discuss with him, so he is considered PERSONA NON GRATA."

The expulsion is the latest development in escalating tensions between Washington and Pretoria. Trump froze U.S. aid to South Africa in February, citing South African legislation he claims allows for the seizure of land from white farmers.

One of Trump's closest allies is South Africa-born billionaire Elon Musk. He has accused President Cyril Ramaphosa's government of having "overtly racist property laws."

Land ownership is a contentious issue in South Africa, with the majority of farmland owned by whites three decades after the end of apartheid, and the government is under pressure to reform.

During a G20 event in South Africa last month, Ramaphosa said he had a "wonderful" conversation with Trump shortly after the U.S. leader took office in January.

But relations later seemed to have gone a little off the rails, he said.