JOHANNESBURG, Feb. 24 — The newly appointed U.S. ambassador to South Africa, Leo Brent Bozell III, formally presented his credentials to the South African government, the South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) said Monday. According to the department, Bozell handed over his official letters of credence to Deputy Director-General Clayson Monyela of DIRCO during a ceremony. Bozell arrived in South Africa earlier this month at a time when bilateral ties between Washington and Pretoria are under strain. U.S. President Donald Trump announced Bozell’s nomination in March 2025, shortly after expelling South Africa‘s ambassador to the United States, Ebrahim Rasool, accusing him of being critical of Washington. South Africa currently has no ambassador stationed in Washington Since Trump began his second term in 2025, relations between the United States and South Africa have deteriorated sharply. Analysts point to growing divergences on major international issues, including Pretoria’s 2023 case at the International Court of Justice, accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza. The U.S. administration has also accused South Africa of persecuting its white minority, a claim rejected by Pretoria, while Washington has imposed steep tariffs on South African exports and suspended aid.
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