White Supremacy, Diplomacy, and Retaliation: The Real Story Behind Rasool’s Expulsion

How Ebrahim Rasool’s Remarks on US Politics Sparked a Diplomatic Crisis and Exposed the Fragility of SA-US Relations

The expulsion of Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool from the United States after making claims about the mobilisation of white supremacy through the Make America Great Again movement once again split communities on whether this was a fine line or overstepping for an ambassador.

Rasool’s opinion was: “Those who are in power by mobilising a supremacism against the incumbency at home in the domestic politics of the US, the Make America Great Again movement—as a response not simply to a supremacist instinct, but to very clear data that shows great demographic shifts in the US, in which the voting electorate in the US is projected to become 48% white, and the possibility of a majority of minorities is looming on the horizon.”

The comments resulted in sharply divided opinions locally and internationally over whether he was walking a "fine line" as a diplomat in giving an "honest assessment" or had "crossed a line" that no ambassador should cross.

Rasool highlighted a key concern that meant America may no longer be white-dominated, being taken over by minority populations. Accompanied by a decline in birth rates, this means that the white majority that once dominated America and the American dream may be a thing of the past.

Already utilising executive orders to remove DEI in the United States, accompanied by the removal of affirmative action, the banning of books that discuss race, and mass criticism of critical race theory, it has been evident that the Trump administration and Republicans have attempted to rewrite history—one absent of Black history and culture.

These policies and beliefs have been externalised to international communities. Palestine's cries have fallen on deaf ears, Ukrainians have been left without support, and South Africa has continued to be punished for pushing global humanitarianism and social justice.

The implementation of the Expropriation Act led to the freezing of all aid to South Africa. It was the catalyst for tension between the two nations after false claims had been made about white land being grabbed and white minorities being oppressed. South Africa was punished for implementing social justice. This was not only a local issue but also a retaliation for the ICJ case where South Africa took Israel to court.

South Africa already had very fragile relations with the US. However, Rasool pointed out that this was not solely a result of the Trump administration but rather a continuation of the Biden administration, which was attempting to cope with the changing global order.

Rasool said there were many continuities in the Trump administration that were inherited from the Joe Biden administration, where “the resistance to the emerging multipolarity in the world started to be articulated.”

Regardless of his critique of both Democrats’ and Republicans’ approaches to international policy, Rasool's comments further harmed relations between the two countries. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was unequivocal in his response, saying that Rasool was "no longer welcome" in the US because he was a "race-baiting politician who hates America" and Trump.

Now, South Africa has an opportunity to respond. However, the GNU does not agree on the stance taken by Rasool.

The Freedom Front (FF) Plus said Rasool was expressing the African National Congress (ANC)’s anti-American posture, while the Democratic Alliance (DA)’s spokesperson on international relations, Emma Powell, said Rasool’s comments were unwise.

“The DA views the situation as deeply unfortunate, and we call on the Presidency to expedite the GNU delegation to the USA to negotiate a pathway towards the stabilisation of diplomatic relations with one of our country’s most important trade and investment partners.”

Whereas Malvern de Bruyn, Cosatu’s provincial secretary in the Western Cape, stated, “As Cosatu, we are calling for our government to expel the ambassador from this country (referring to the US) and to close all relations with Trump’s regime if they want to treat us like that.”

There seems to be a willingness to forgo relations with the United States until they act accordingly and respect international law. De Bruyn expressed, “Ebrahim Rasool is one of us. He is a child of the soil.” South Africa may need to protect those who get unjustly removed.

Many people in the country are calling for maturity and a diplomatic approach to relations moving forward. There is a great question: how do we deal with a White House that has dealt with South Africa rather irrationally?

Do we opt to stand on our principles and chart a path where America is not the centre of the global order? Already benefiting from a R94 billion rand commitment from the EU, there is a world that exists outside the United States. However, we would lose our second-largest trading partner. Or do we keep trying and potentially keep failing?

At the moment, it is unclear, and there seems to be no agreement on what ought to be done with the United States. South Africa and America are set to negotiate the AGOA agreement. There is only more to come for these two parties, which stand on opposite sides when it comes to human rights, international law, and social justice.

With the resurgence of the war in Palestine and Israel, it seems that peace may not come easily for South Africa. But if it does, we have to ask what we will give up to be back in good standing with the United States.

South Africa refuses to keep quiet on the injustices that continue to dominate the world. We will continue to be enemy number one to the Trump administration as we oppose their global unilateralism, which they opt to impose.

The removal of Ambassador Rasool should not be seen as an isolated incident but rather as a continuation of punishment for South Africa's stance and willingness to see the world for what it truly is—not what America says it should be.