'Exploiting the situation': WH slams Nancy Mace over independent evacuation efforts in Middle East

WASHINGTON, DC: Rep Nancy Mace has been drawing irritation from White House officials amid the ongoing US-Iran war. Officials have shown growing ire toward her, accusing her of complicating efforts to evacuate Americans stranded in the Middle East.

According to people familiar with the matter, she tried to run her own rescue missions. As per reports, she has also begun negotiating with Arab countries. Although Mace initially managed to evacuate people from Israel, her recent efforts have been surrounded by controversy.

She also shared a post addressed to Secretary of State Marco Rubio on March 16, writing, "I am asking you directly: please authorize this Saudi aircraft mission without delay. I have done the diplomatic work and secured the commitment.”

Nancy Mace acts independently, complicates evacuation efforts

White House officials are mainly concerned that she has been acting independently during evacuation efforts in the Middle East. They are especially upset about her outreach to Saudi Arabia.

She directly engaged with Saudi officials to help Americans leave and later asked the State Department to arrange a Saudi commercial plane for about 300 people. Frustration has been building over several days. Mace traveled to the region and attempted to move US citizens across borders.

She also spoke with foreign governments without informing the State Department, which has been managing evacuation flights.

As per The Guardian, officials said Mace encouraged a group of Americans to move from a high-risk area to Jordan. However, there was no clear plan for what would happen next. The group ended up stranded, forcing the State Department to send a plane to bring them back.

Officials say such actions are making an already difficult situation harder. As reported by the publication, one official said, “If members of Congress want to be helpful, they should work with the administration instead of trying to exploit the situation for political gain."

Iran strikes escalate, evacuation chaos grows

Since the conflict began, Iran has launched missiles and drone attacks on nearby countries like Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates. In response, several of these nations shut their airspace and closed airports, making travel difficult.

At first, Americans who called a State Department hotline were told through an automated message that the government could not help them leave the region. Evacuations only began four days later, when charter flights were arranged.

Amid this situation, Nancy Mace traveled to the Middle East. She said on social media that she wanted to help people from South Carolina return to the US, working with a private group called Grey Bull Rescue. However, the group later suspended its operations after an American mother accused it of demanding $1 million to help her family return to the US.