Trump nominates conservative media critic for ambassador to South Africa during strained relations
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump nominated conservative media critic and pro-Israel commentator Leo Brent Bozell III as ambassador to South Africa. The move Tuesday comes during strained diplomatic relations with the country, including over its stance on the Israel-Hamas conflict.
The nomination of Bozell, an outspoken Israel supporter, comes at a time when relations between South Africa and the U.S are at a low. Bozell must be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
The frosty relations saw South Africa’s ambassador to the U.S., Ebrahim Rasool, declared persona non grata by the U.S. government over his comments about Trump and his administration and was forced to leave the country last Friday.
Trump has been critical of South Africa’s stance on the Israel-Hamas conflict, including taking Israel to the International Court of Justice and accusing it of committing genocide in Gaza.
He has also falsely accused the South African government of targeting the minority white population in the country and illegally seizing their land through its recently enacted Expropriation Act and offered to grant refugee status to white people who want to relocate to the U.S.
Trump has also signed an executive order freezing all financial aid to South Africa.
Bozell is a founder of the Media Research Center, the Parents Television Council and other conservative media organizations. His son, Leo Brent Bozell IV, was one of the people who stormed the U.S. Capitol in 2021 and was convicted and sentenced to four years in prison last year.
Bozell was previously nominated to head the U.S. Agency for Global Media, but his nomination was eventually withdrawn.
South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa is yet to announce the country’s new ambassador the U.S., but this week claimed that reports about white people being targeted in South Africa were based on a “completely false narrative.”