U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Friday that South Africa's ambassador to Washington had been declared persona non grata, signaling worsening relations between the two countries. In a post on X, Rubio said South Africa's ambassador to the U.S., Ebrahim Rasool, was "no longer welcome in our great country." There has been no immediate response from South Africa's embassy in Washington. Rubio's move came amid tense relations between the U.S. and South Africa. South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa, in a post on X, defended his government's measure.