JOHANNESBURG, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump's nominee for ambassador to South Africa, Leo Brent Bozell III, has arrived in the country amid strained ties between Washington and Pretoria, local media reported Tuesday.

Bozell is expected to present his credentials to President Cyril Ramaphosa before formally assuming his diplomatic duties, the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) said in a report.

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.

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.

Diplomatic tensions escalated in November last year when U.S. officials skipped the Group of 20 meetings hosted by South Africa.

At present, neither country has a resident ambassador. According to the SABC, South Africa's Department of International Relations and Cooperation has not yet commented on Bozell's arrival or announced a date for the presentation of credentials. ■