Ebrahim Rasool

Ebrahim Rasool studied English literature and economic history at the University of Cape Town and qualified as a teacher. He began an honours course in literary criticism while imprisoned but did not complete it. His public service included provincial portfolios in health, welfare, finance, and economic development, followed by service as premier of the Western Cape, a member of the National Assembly, and an adviser to the president. ^{1, 5}

Rasool’s work also extended to relations among religious and cultural communities. He founded the World for All Foundation to promote coexistence and received the Kaiser Family Foundation’s Nelson Mandela Award for Health and Human Rights in 1998. After his first Washington posting, from 2010 to 2015, he became a distinguished scholar in residence at Georgetown University’s centre for Muslim–Christian understanding. ^{1, 4}

He returned to Washington for a second term and presented his credentials to Joe Biden on 13 January 2025, a week before the change of administration. ²

The second posting ended within weeks. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Rasool’s expulsion after he described Donald Trump as leading a white supremacist movement. The State Department said his diplomatic privileges expired on 17 March 2025. South Africa’s presidency called the expulsion regrettable, urged diplomatic decorum, and reaffirmed its commitment to relations with the United States. ^{2, 3}