News|Donald TrumpWhite House accuses South Africa of harassing US gov’t staff in latest rowTrump has repeatedly targeted South Africa, including baselessly claiming systemic persecution of white Afrikaners.

The United States government has raised concerns regarding the treatment of US staff involved in the relocation of white Afrikaners in South Africa. On Thu, Nov 23, 2025, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused South African officials of harassment, including the alleged leaking of US nationals' passport information.

Following the expulsion of seven Kenyan nationals involved in processing Afrikaner relocations, the South African government maintained that individuals entering on tourist visas are ineligible to work. Rubio stated that some US nationals were briefly detained, an action strongly condemned by US authorities.

South Africa has denied that any US officials were arrested, asserting that the raid did not occur at a diplomatic site. The Department of International Relations and Cooperation questioned the US's employment of individuals without proper documentation, citing concerns over diplomatic protocols.

The Trump administration has accused the government of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa of supporting the persecution of white Afrikaner farmers. These allegations have been rejected by South African officials, including Afrikaner leaders, who have labeled them as misinformation.

The US has continued to facilitate the relocation of Afrikaners under its refugee program, despite a significant reduction in refugee admissions for other nationalities, set at a historic low of 7,500 for 2026. This policy has faced criticism for alleged discriminatory practices.

The Trump administration has also taken diplomatic actions against South Africa, including expelling the South African ambassador, boycotting the G20 summit in Johannesburg, and excluding South Africa from the upcoming summit in Miami.

Based on reporting by Al Jazeera.