It is shown that solutions of the (relativistic) Vlasov–Maxwell system converge pointwise to solutions of the Vlasov–Poisson system globally in time at the asymptotic rate of c^{-1}, as the light speed c tends to infinity, which extends the results of Asano and Ukai (Stud Math Appl 18:369–383, 1986), Degond (Math Methods Appl Sci 8:533–558, 1986) and Schaeffer (Commun Math Phys 104:403–421, 1986). The analysis relies on the method of Glassey and Strauss (Commun Math Phys 113:191–208, 1987) and Schaeffer (Commun Math Phys 104:403–421, 1986).