Murphy Joins Colleagues In Demanding Secretary Rubio Ramp Up Crisis Efforts To Safely Evacuate Americans Left Stranded By Trump's War Of Choice Against Iran

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) is joining his Senate colleagues in demanding that Secretary of State Marco Rubio immediately ramp up communication and efforts to safely evacuate American citizens who have been left stranded in a crisis of Trump's own making in the Middle East.

Even after Donald Trump admitted that there was no evacuation plan for Americans in the region when he launched his reckless, needless and unconstitutional war of choice against Iran, Secretary Rubio continued to insist that the State Department is doing everything it can to help Americans abroad. There are growing reports of too many frustrated, confused and scared Americans who continue receiving conflicting guidance to both shelter in place and to immediately depart-all while airports and airspace remain closed.

"We urge you to immediately ramp up your efforts to communicate and coordinate with the Americans who are caught in this widening conflict by opening a crisis intake form to facilitate better, direct communication with Americans who are seeking to leave the region to get to safety. Although we have seen announcements from various administration officials that assisted departure plans are in progress, our constituents remain in the dark," the Senators wrote. "Americans deserve a government that steps up to help them through times of crisis, not turn their back on them to fend for themselves.

In the letter, the Senators also note that the rapidly changing situation has created an increased risk to U.S. Embassy personnel and their families across the Middle East after the State Department has been forced to close Embassies and navigate possible departures.

The Senators underscored their outrage at this clear lack of planning and preparedness: "The rapidly changing Embassy statuses raises questions of your department's ability to effectively enable our own people to depart to safety or whether diplomats remain at risk alongside their families, despite being directed to urgently leave."

The Senators demanded Secretary Rubio quickly take further action and provide a status update by March 6, 2025.

The letter was also signed by U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill) Tim Kaine (D-Va), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Chris Van Hollen (D-M.d.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii).