The United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio has declared South Africa's Ambassador to the U.S., Ebrahim Rasool, as persona non grata, effectively expelling him from the country.

Rubio announced the decision on his X platform, labelling Rasool a "race-baiting politician who hates America."

Rubio's actions follow Rasool's criticisms of President Donald Trump, allegedly accusing him of promoting global white supremacy.

In February, President Trump signed an executive order freezing aid to South Africa, citing a land expropriation law that permits the government to seize farmland without compensation.

Trump said the law is discriminatory against white farmers, specifically the Afrikaner minority, and condemned it as a human rights violation.

The South African government, however, maintains that the law aims to address historical injustices stemming from the apartheid era.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson for South African President, Vincent Magwenya, has described the actions taken by the U.S. Secretary of State as regrettable.

The Presidency urges all relevant and impacted stakeholders to maintain the established diplomatic decorum in their engagement with the matter, he said.

Magwenya said that South Africa remains committed to building a mutually beneficial relationship with the United States of America.