South Africa's former ambassador to the United States, Ebrahim Rasool, returned home on Sunday to a hero’s welcome after being expelled and declared persona non grata by the Trump administration. Hundreds of supporters gathered to greet him with songs of praise and solidarity.

Arriving at Cape Town International Airport, Rasool and his wife Rosieda were met with huge crowds. As they made their way through the airport's arrivals area, a police escort was required to help usher them through the enthusiastic gathering.

“Being declared persona non grata is intended as a personal insult,” Rasool proclaimed to the cheering crowd through a megaphone. “But when you're met with love and warmth like this, it becomes a symbol of pride, a badge of honor.”

“We didn’t choose to return under these circumstances, but we do so without any regrets,” he continued.

The Trump administration expelled Rasool for remarks made during an online seminar, in which he suggested that the 'Make America Great Again' (MAGA) movement was partly fueled by “a supremacist instinct.”

Now back in South Africa, Rasool expressed the need to rebuild diplomatic bridges with the US, asserting that the country had already been penalized by Trump for what he perceived as anti-American positions, even before Rasool’s removal.

Last month, President Trump signed an executive order withdrawing all financial aid to South Africa. He accused its government of backing Iran and Hamas, and of enacting racially divisive domestic policies.

“This is not about being anti-American,” Rasool emphasized. “We are not here asking South Africa to sever ties with the United States—we must maintain those interests responsibly.”

This marked Rasool’s first appearance before the public since his diplomatic privileges were revoked and he was ordered to leave the US by that Friday, following the announcement more than a week ago.

Such expulsions of ambassadors by Washington are a rare occurrence.

The official declaration came from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio via a post on X dated March 14. Rubio labeled Rasool a “race-baiting politician” with an animosity towards Trump and the United States.

Although Rubio did not cite specific reasons in the post, it referenced a Breitbart article covering Rasool’s earlier webinar. In that session, Rasool critically examined US policies around immigration, diversity initiatives, and shifting demographic trends, forecasting that white Americans would soon become a minority in the electorate.

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“The backlash from those feeling threatened by losing their political dominance is evident in the MAGA movement. This isn’t only about ideology—it’s a reaction to data showing that white voters could make up just 48% of the electorate,” Rasool explained during the discussion.

On Sunday, he reaffirmed his stance, describing his comments as a call for South African leaders and intellectuals to recognize the transformation taking place within US society and politics.

“This is no longer Obama’s America, nor Clinton’s. It’s a different political environment, and we must acknowledge that change in our diplomatic language,” Rasool said. “My remarks were an analysis of a political trend—not an attack on a person, government, or people.”

He further stated that South Africa would not bow to external pressure, insisting that the nation would continue pursuing its case at the International Court of Justice against Israel's actions in Gaza, which the Trump administration cited as another reason for accusing South Africa of being anti-American.