South Africa's Ebrahim Rasool Defends U.S. Expulsion Amid Diplomatic Tensions

Ebrahim Rasool, the former South African ambassador to the U.S., returned to Cape Town after being expelled by the Trump administration, receiving a warm welcome from supporters. Rasool was declared persona non grata due to comments he made about the Make America Great Again movement, which he described as partly rooted in a 'supremacist instinct.' He emphasized that South Africa's stance on Palestine would not be compromised for trade agreements, stating, 'America doesn’t get to decide who we stand with.' Despite the tensions, Rasool clarified that South Africa is not anti-American and expressed the need to repair relations with the U.S. after Trump cut funding to South Africa, accusing it of supporting Hamas and pursuing anti-white policies. He stated he would wear his expulsion as 'a badge of dignity,' reaffirming his commitment to South African values.