Particle.news
Download on the App Store
14 ARTICLES
·
2w ago

State Department Faces Scrutiny Over Readiness as U.S. Evacuates Thousands From Middle East

Congressional scrutiny intensifies over the department’s crisis readiness.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio walks on the day of classified briefings for the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives on the situation in Iran, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., March 3, 2026. REUTERS/Kylie Cooper
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to reporters, on the day of classified briefings for the full U.S. Senate and House of Representatives on the situation in Iran, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., March 3, 2026. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz
Image

Overview

  • President Trump publicly praised Secretary of State Marco Rubio, saying the department is moving thousands of Americans out of multiple countries and doing a “great job.”
  • Reported tallies vary, with one account citing an estimated 20,000 Americans returned and another quoting Rubio that nearly 9,000 have departed with about 1,500 more seeking help.
  • Senate Foreign Relations Committee Democrats sent a March 5 letter accusing the department of poor planning, noting only Beirut was on ordered departure at the outset and Israel posts shifted to authorized departure just before airspace closures.
  • The senators pointed to leadership and staffing gaps, citing the recall of regional ambassadors and losses of 76 employees in the Near Eastern Affairs Bureau and 155 in Consular Affairs between August and December 2025.
  • The letter detailed security incidents including drone attacks on embassies in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait and unrest in Iraq and Pakistan, as Rubio said airspace closures have hampered evacuations and held calls with counterparts in Italy, Cyprus, Turkey and Saudi Arabia.