On Tuesday, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) criticized Donald Trump, accusing his administration of leaving Americans stranded in the Middle East after escalating tensions with Iran.
Warren Blasts Trump Administration Over Iran Crisis Response
“When Donald Trump dragged the U.S. into war with Iran, Americans were left stranded in the Middle East,” Warren wrote on X. “Why was our government unprepared to respond?”
She pointed to staffing cuts under Secretary of State Marco Rubio and broader government reductions as key reasons behind what she described as a failure to protect U.S. citizens abroad.
Last year, the Trump administration laid off more than 1,350 State Department employees, including both civil and foreign service officers, as part of a wider restructuring effort tied to the Department of Government Efficiency, initially led by Elon Musk.
Report Claims State Department Cuts Weakened Crisis Response
Warren shared a report from The Intercept alleging that as many as one million Americans in the region were put at risk during the conflict.
The report said that the administration had reduced critical State Department personnel, including experienced foreign service officers trained in evacuations and crisis management.
A group of nearly 250 officers warned lawmakers that “the expertise required to manage the current crisis has been systematically removed.”
They added that the department was “actively preventing experienced, cleared, available officers from helping American citizens in crisis.”
No Evacuation Plan Leaves Americans On Their Own
Despite issuing urgent travel warnings urging Americans to leave multiple Middle Eastern countries, the U.S. government reportedly lacked a coordinated evacuation plan.
According to the report, some Americans who contacted official hotlines were told not to rely on government assistance.
Lawmakers Demand Answers As Criticism Mounts
Warren and other lawmakers have pressed the State Department for answers, citing delays and a lack of accountability.
“Rubio recklessly purging hundreds of State Department experts has threatened our national security and put U.S. citizens in danger,” Warren told the publication.
White House and the State Department did not immediately respond to Benzinga’s request for comments.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: OogImages/Shutterstock
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