U.S. President Donald Trump said in a Truth Social post that the State Department is “moving thousands of people out of various countries throughout the Middle East” amid rising regional tensions.
Trump described the evacuations as being carried out “quietly, but seamlessly,” and praised Marco Rubio for “doing a great job.”
The State Department confirmed on Thursday that 20,000 Americans have returned home and said it is ramping up chartered flights, but provided no further details, reports Al Jazeera.
The evacuations follow Trump’s advisory earlier this week urging Americans to leave more than a dozen countries in the Middle East. The administration has faced criticism over the timing and scale of the effort, as concerns grow over regional security amid ongoing conflicts involving Iran, Israel, and other countries in the region.
Officials say the effort aims to protect U.S. citizens from escalating hostilities and ensure safe passage out of areas affected by airstrikes, missile attacks, and civil unrest.