White House officials accuse Rep. Nancy Mace of complicating Middle East evacuations by pursuing independent rescue efforts and negotiating directly with foreign governments without coordinating with the State Department. Her outreach to Saudi authorities and work with a third-party operator, Grey Bull Rescue, drew particular scrutiny after allegations of extortion and stranded evacuees who required government assistance. The State Department says it has conducted about 60 flights and helped roughly 42,000 people, though logistical challenges have left some charters under-filled.
White House Criticizes Nancy Mace for Uncoordinated Middle East Evacuations
Representative Nancy Mace speaking to media outside the US Capitol during government shutdown vote in November 2025.Photograph: Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images(Photograph: Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
White House officials say Republican congresswoman Nancy Mace complicated U.S. evacuation operations in the Middle East by launching independent rescue efforts and negotiating directly with foreign governments without coordinating with the State Department, according to people familiar with the matter.
Officials say Mace traveled to the region to help U.S. citizens cross international borders and engaged with foreign authorities — most notably in Saudi Arabia — asking the State Department to authorize a Saudi commercial aircraft to carry roughly 300 people. In a letter dated 16 March and reviewed by the Guardian, Mace wrote to Secretary of State Marco Rubio: “Secretary Rubio, I am asking you directly: please authorize this Saudi aircraft mission without delay. I have done the diplomatic work and secured the commitment.”
Separately, officials say Mace encouraged a group of Americans to relocate from a high-risk area to Jordan without a clear plan for onward travel. When that group became stranded, the State Department dispatched a plane to retrieve them.
Operational Friction and Controversy
White House sources say Mace's actions added friction to an already fraught evacuation effort. Some diplomats and travelers had already criticized the government for not moving citizens out of the region fast enough, and officials who discussed the matter on the condition of anonymity said unilateral initiatives risked undermining coordinated operations.
“If members of Congress want to be helpful they should work with the administration instead of trying to exploit the situation for political gain,” one official said.
Mace worked with a third-party operator called Grey Bull Rescue. Although she had initial success evacuating people from Israel, Grey Bull suspended operations after an American mother alleged the group extorted $1 million to secure a return to the U.S.
State Department Response
Officials said the State Department eventually carried out an evacuation operation that included roughly 60 charter flights and provided direct or indirect assistance to about 42,000 people who asked for help. The department also arranged with Israel’s flag carrier, El Al, to fly only U.S. citizens or permanent residents from Tel Aviv to John F. Kennedy International Airport, though evacuees still had to reach Tel Aviv first.
Several Gulf states temporarily closed airspace after Iran launched missiles and drone strikes at neighboring countries, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. That disruption — and initial automated hotline messages that said the federal government could not assist immediately — complicated early efforts; the State Department began charter evacuations about four days after the conflict started.
Officials added that many charter flights have been under-filled as some Americans decline itineraries that require onward connections through hubs such as Greece, which the State Department has used because of its strong consular presence.
A spokesperson for Mace did not immediately provide comment, and a State Department spokesperson declined to comment.
Help us improve.
