US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says SA ambassador ‘no longer welcome’

US secretary of state Marco Rubio has announced that South Africa’s ambassador to the states is no longer welcome in their country – declaring Ebrahim Rasool persona non-grata.

"South Africa's Ambassador to the United States is no longer welcome in our great country," Rubio posted on X.

Ebrahim Rasool is "a race-baiting politician who hates America and hates @POTUS," he said, referring to Trump by his White House X account handle.

"We have nothing to discuss with him and so he is considered PERSONA NON GRATA."

This is the second time Rubio has turned to his social media account taking a punitive approach to South Africa. In February, the American secretary of state relied on disinformation to snub the first G20 foreign ministers meeting which took place in Johannesburg

SA has been hoping Rasool would help thaw the current frosty relations between the two countries.

Rubio ‘s statement follows Rasool’s recent participation in a seminar by the Mapungubwe institute for strategic reflection on US president Donald Trump’s policy stance on South Africa.

Rasool accused Trump of leading a white supremacist movement. He further explained that the current administration not only violated rules but disregarded conventions and undermined incumbency outside of America.

SA’s department of international relations said it had noted Rubio’s social media post.