South Africa’s expelled ambassador to the United States, Ebrahim Rasool, returned home on Sunday to a raucous reception at Cape Town International Airport, following his removal by the administration of former US President Donald Trump.

Rasool and his wife, Rosieda, were surrounded by cheering supporters as they emerged in the arrivals terminal, requiring a police escort to navigate through the crowd. Addressing his supporters with a megaphone, Rasool struck a defiant tone.

“A declaration of persona non grata is meant to humiliate you,” he said. “But when you return to crowds like this, with warmth like this, then I will wear my persona non grata as a badge of dignity.”

Rasool’s expulsion came amid heightened tensions between the Trump administration and South Africa. Trump issued an executive order last month, cutting all funding to South Africa, accusing its government of supporting Hamas and Iran and implementing anti-white policies at home.

South Africa’s decision to file a case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in December 2023, accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza, further strained relations. More than 10 countries have since joined South Africa in the legal proceedings.

Despite the diplomatic rift, Rasool emphasized that South Africa is not anti-American.

“We don’t come here to say we are anti-American,” he told the crowd. “We are not here to call on you to throw away our interests with the United States.”

The Trump administration declared Rasool persona non grata over a week ago, stripping him of his diplomatic immunities and privileges and giving him until Friday to leave the US.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who announced the decision on X (formerly Twitter), called Rasool a “race-baiting politician” who hates the US and Trump.

Rubio’s post linked to a Breitbart report about a webinar hosted by a South African think tank, where Rasool discussed US policies on diversity and immigration. He also referenced a future scenario where white Americans may no longer be the majority.

The expulsion of a foreign ambassador is a highly unusual move in US diplomacy, highlighting the escalating tensions between Washington and Pretoria.