Former South African ambassador Ebrahim Rasool, recently expelled from the United States and declared persona non grata, was met with an outpouring of support upon his arrival at Cape Town International Airport on Sunday. Hundreds of cheering supporters, waving flags and singing liberation songs, crowded the terminal to welcome Rasool and his wife, Rosieda, forcing police to escort the couple through the throng.
Addressing the crowd with a megaphone, Rasool defiantly reframed his expulsion as a mark of pride. “A declaration of perrsona non grata* is meant to humiliate you,” he said. “But when you return to this kind of warmth, I wear it as a badge of dignity.”
Rasool’s expulsion followed controversial remarks made during a webinar, where he suggested the “Make America Great Again” movement was driven by “a supremacist instinct.” The Trump administration revoked his diplomatic status, giving him one week to leave the U.S.
“It was not our choice to come home, but we return with no regrets,” Rasool told supporters. He stood by his comments, insisting they were a warning about shifting U.S. politics. “This is not the America of Obama or Clinton—it’s a different nation, and our approach must adapt.”
Tensions between South Africa and the U.S. escalated last month when President Donald Trump slashed aid to the country, accusing its government of backing Hamas and Iran while promoting “anti-white policies.” Rasool, however, urged caution. “We are not anti-American. We must protect our relationship with the U.S., but not at the cost of our principles.”
The rare expulsion of a foreign ambassador underscores deepening diplomatic rifts. For Rasool, the homecoming was a moment of vindication—his criticisms of U.S. politics now echoed by a jubilant crowd. “We analyzed a political phenomenon, not a nation,” he said. “And history will judge the truth.”
As the rally dispersed, the message was clear: in the eyes of his supporters, Rasool’s expulsion only amplified his voice.
