![[aggregator] downloaded image for imported item #38630](https://newsview.top/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/marco-rubio-speaking-1-1-1024x576.jpg "Rubio urges Americans in Middle East to register for evacuation assistance; slams Iran run by 'lunatics'")
This post was originally published on this site.
TheState Departmentrevealed communications with Congress on getting Americans out of the Middle East as Democrats on Capitol Hill say the department is “refusing to help people leave the region.”
Secretary of StateMarco Rubioaddressed concerns about Americans still remaining in theMiddle Eastwith reporters on Capitol Hill Tuesday, telling U.S.citizens abroad that “we need to know where you are” in order to successfully help them evacuate.
“9,000 Americans have been able to leave the region since the start of this war,” Rubio said.“We have about [1,500] Americans that are requesting assistance with departure.We have identified and continue to identify charter flights, military flight options and expanded commercial flight options, meaning working with the airlines to send bigger airplanes with more seats.”
Rubio says 1,500 Americans are still seeking help to leave the Middle East.(Kevin Mohatt/Reuters)
“Here’s the message I want to deliver Americans who are in the Middle East and in need of assistance… we need to know where you are,” Rubio added.“We need to have contact information for Americans that need assistance.They have to register with us because, as these options begin to open up and as they open up we have to be able to call you, we have to be able to reach you, we have to be able to know where you’re staying so we can get this information to you and coordinate appropriately.”
Rubio strongly encouraged Americans still remaining in the Middle East to utilize thedepartment websiteto initiate the proceedings to safely evacuate.
�constant contact” with Congress, specifically related to getting stranded Americans back home.
�“There is no greater priority than the safety of American citizens both at home and abroad.”
The State Department says it has been in constant contact with Congress and thousands of staffers to assist Americans in the Middle East, pushing back on Democratic claims that it is refusing to help citizens leave the region.(Jonathan Ernst/Pool/Reuters)
“The State Department has reached over a thousand Congressional staffers with briefings on the security situation on the Middle East and continues to be in constant contact with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee to ensure that their constituents have the facts on available support and assistance,” Pigott added.
US WOMEN’S BASKETBALL PLAYER SPEAKS OUT ON BEING TRAPPED IN ISRAEL DURING IRANIAN COUNTERSTRIKE
Democrats in Congress have accused the Trump administration of not assisting in getting trapped Americans out of the area.
“So the State Department is forcing everyone to immediately leave the region but is also refusing to help people leave the region,” Sen.Chris Murphy, D-CT posted to X.“The strike itself is illegal and disastrous but their lack of readiness for what comes next is unforgivable as well.”
“Incompetence everywhere,” Murphy added.
Sen.Chris Murphy and other Democrats have accused the Trump administration of incompetence and failing to adequately support Americans seeking to evacuate amid escalating tensions and strikes involving Iran.(Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
AMBASSADOR HUCKABEE DESCRIBES ‘BEST OPTION’ FOR AMERICANS LOOKING TO FLEE ISRAEL
congressional staffers, held three webinars covering the security situation, and have been in constant communication with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and House Foreign Affairs Committee on Embassy operating status, regional requests for additional interceptors, and other military equipment.
The department says they made 60 emails and a dozen calls on policy-related questions, briefing requests, and general inquiries from Congressional offices.
Rubio told reporters on Tuesday he is confident that the administration will be able to safely evacuate all U.S.citizens out of the region.
“Iran is run by lunatics, religious fanatic lunatics,” Rubio said.“They have an ambition to have nuclear weapons.They intend to develop those nuclear weapons behind a program of missiles and drones and terrorism [so] the world will not be able to touch them for fear of those things… now is the time to go after them.”
“On the first day, we had a lot of anxiety about things,�“I’ve never been in a place that had bombs floating above.”(Kristy Ellmer)
TRUMP SENDS OFFICIAL NOTIFICATION TO CONGRESS ON STRIKES AGAINST IRAN
com/category/us/us-regions/northeast/new-hampshire" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New Hampshire, described the “shock waves” and “red bursts in air” she witnessed while with her husband in Dubai.
“We were just sitting on the beach.We hadn’t been watching the news or anything, just enjoying the morning,” Ellmer said.“All of a sudden, wefelt explosions.”
She was scheduled to leave Dubai on Sunday, though she dealt withflight cancellationsfor Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday.
Airports in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha were all directly hit by strikes this weekend.(Sawayasu Tsuji)
onelink.me/xLDS?pid=AppArticleLink&af_web_dp=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.
On Saturday,Iranian airstrikes hitDubai International Airport as the country exchanged blows with the U.S.and its Israeli allies.
She still remains in the region, hoping to get out of the country by the end of the week.
�s Jessica Mekles contributed to this report.
![[aggregator] downloaded image for imported item #45288](https://newsview.top/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/trump-governors-breakfast-1-1024x576.jpg "Bipartisan revolt targets Trump's war powers after massive Iran strikes")
![[aggregator] downloaded image for imported item #45282](https://newsview.top/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/gottheimer-trump-split-1024x576.jpg "Democrats buck party leaders to defend Trump's 'decisive action' on Iran")
![[aggregator] downloaded image for imported item #45267](https://newsview.top/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/epstein-files-released-011-1024x576.jpg "Bill Clinton's credibility threatened by decades of scandals amid grilling over Epstein ties")