Olusegun Ariyo
The United States has frowned at the remarks made by South Africa’s ambassador to the United States about President Donald Trump being unacceptable.
US State Department spokesperson stated this on Monday while speaking with reporters after Washington last week made the decision to expel the envoy.
Ties between the two countries have reportedly gone sour after Trump cut US financial aid to South Africa, citing disapproval of its land policy and its genocide case against Washington’s ally Israel at the International Court of Justice.
The expulsion of Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool amid an article that quoted him as saying President Donald Trump was leading a white supremacist movement, was the last straw.
US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio said on Saturday in a post on X that he was expelling Rasool, calling him a race-baiting politician, who hates Trump, and reposting the article from the right-wing website Breitbart.
“These remarks were unacceptable to the United States, not just to the president, but to every American.
“At the very least, what we should expect is a standard of some respect – basic, low-level respect – if you’re in a position that is going to help facilitate any kind of diplomatic relationship with another country,” State Department spokesperson, Tammy Bruce said.
