Secretary of State Marco Rubio had lashed out on social media over comments critical of President Trump that the ambassador had made to a think tank in Johannesburg.

Rasool made particular mention of Vice President JD Vance’s support for Germany’s right-wing Alternative for Germany political party, and the prominence within the Trump administration of Elon Musk, a White South African who has also supported conservative political movements in other countries.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday that South Africa’s ambassador to the United States “is no longer welcome” in the country. Rubio, in a post on X, accused Ebrahim Rasool of being a “race-baiting politician” who hates President Donald Trump and declared him “persona non grata.” He didn’t give further reasoning.