South African diplomat Ebrahim Rasool, who was expelled from the United States and declared persona non grata by the Trump administration, received a hero’s welcome upon his return home Sunday. Hundreds of supporters gathered at Cape Town International Airport, singing songs in his honor as he and his wife, Rosieda, emerged in the arrivals terminal, requiring a police escort to navigate the crowds.
“A declaration of persona non grata is meant to humiliate you,” Rasool told his supporters via megaphone. “But when you return to crowds like this, and with warmth like this, then I will wear my persona non grata as a badge of dignity.” He added, “It was not our choice to come home, but we come home with no regrets.”
Rasool emphasized the importance of South Africa repairing its diplomatic relationship with the U.S. following President Donald Trump’s decision to expel him. The U.S. recently cut all funding to South Africa, citing its alleged support for Hamas and Iran, as well as claims of anti-white policies.
“We don’t come here to say we are anti-American,” Rasool told the crowd. “We are not here to call on you to throw away our interests with the United States.”
This was Rasool’s first public address since being expelled over a week ago, a highly unusual move by the U.S. government. His diplomatic immunities and privileges were revoked, and he was given until Friday to leave the country.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in a post on X on March 14, accused Rasool of being a “race-baiting politician” who despises both the U.S. and Trump. Rubio’s statement referenced a Breitbart article highlighting Rasool’s comments in a webinar where he analyzed demographic shifts in America, linking them to Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement.
Rasool reaffirmed his remarks upon returning home, insisting they were intended to inform South African intellectuals and leaders about evolving U.S. political dynamics. “It is not the U.S. of Obama, it is not the U.S. of Clinton, it is a different U.S., and therefore our language must change,” he stated. “I would stand by my analysis because we were analyzing a political phenomenon, not a personality, not a nation, and not even a government.”
He also reiterated South Africa’s commitment to its case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza, despite U.S. pressure to withdraw. The Trump administration cited this legal challenge against Israel as evidence of South Africa’s alleged anti-American stance.
Among Rasool’s supporters at the airport were individuals waving Palestinian flags and chanting “Free Palestine.” Addressing them, Rasool declared, “As we stand here, the bombing [in Gaza] has continued, and the shooting has continued. If South Africa was not in the [ICJ], Israel would not be exposed, and the Palestinians would have no hope. We cannot sacrifice the Palestinians … but we will also not give up our relationship with the United States. We must fight for it, but we must keep our dignity.”
Source: Swifteradio.com
