France, Feb. 17 -- The United States' newly appointed ambassador to South Africa, conservative media critic Brent Bozell, has arrived in Pretoria to take up his post, the US embassy confirmed on Tuesday, offering a fresh chapter in a relationship that has been under growing strain.

Bozell's arrival comes at a delicate moment, as ties between Washington and Pretoria have been increasingly tense since President Donald Trump returned to office in January 2025, with diplomatic disagreements and policy divergences testing what has long been an important partnership.

The Trump administration has also accused South Africa of perpetrating genocide against white South Africans - a claim that Pretoria has strongly rejected.

Trump first announced...