The Trump administration has escalated tensions with the South African government, accusing officials of harassing and doxxing US government staff involved in the relocation of white Afrikaners from South Africa.

On Thursday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio publicly criticized Pretoria after South Africa expelled seven Kenyan nationals who had entered the country under US auspices to facilitate Afrikaner relocations. Rubio alleged that US personnel had been briefly detained and that passport information had been leaked—a claim he described as “an unacceptable form of harassment” placing Americans “in harm’s way.”

US-South Africa Tensions

The South African government maintains that individuals who entered on tourist visas are not legally allowed to work in the country. The Department of International Relations and Cooperation stated that the US-employed workers’ lack of proper documentation raised serious concerns regarding diplomatic protocol and intent.

Rubio warned that the Trump administration could take “severe consequences” if those responsible are not held accountable.

“Failure by the South African Government to hold those responsible accountable will result in severe consequences,” Rubio said in a statement.

This incident follows months of pressure from the Trump administration on President Cyril Ramaphosa, accusing his government of tacitly supporting the persecution of white Afrikaner farmers—a claim widely disputed and dismissed as misinformation by both South African officials and Afrikaner leaders.

Background: Afrikaner Relocation and US Refugee Program

The Trump administration has continued relocating members of the Afrikaner community to the US through its refugee resettlement program, while sharply limiting admissions for nearly all other nationalities. The historic low of 7,500 refugee admissions for 2026 has drawn criticism from human rights groups, who describe it as racially selective policy.

Earlier confrontations include:

• Expulsion of South Africa’s ambassador to the US
• US boycott of the 2025 G20 summit in Johannesburg
• Exclusion of South Africa from the 2026 G20 summit in Miami

South African Response

President Ramaphosa has categorically rejected claims of Afrikaner persecution, with multiple elected officials and Afrikaner community leaders denouncing the allegations as false. South Africa emphasized that no US officials were arrested during the raid and clarified that the actions did not occur at any diplomatic site.

“Employing workers without proper documentation raises serious questions about intent and diplomatic protocol,” the South African foreign ministry said in a statement.

International Implications

The ongoing dispute highlights rising US-South Africa tensions under the Trump administration, driven by a combination of refugee policy, diplomatic conflicts, and far-right narratives surrounding Afrikaner farmers. Analysts note that this series of confrontations risks further straining bilateral relations, potentially affecting trade, security cooperation, and diplomatic engagement between the two countries.

The Trump administration’s focus on Afrikaner relocation has also sparked controversy domestically, with critics arguing that resources are being allocated in a racially selective manner, even as refugee admittances for other vulnerable populations drop to historic lows.