Escalation in the Middle East
The recent escalation of tensions in the Middle East has led to a chaotic situation, with many Americans stranded and unable to leave the region. In contrast, several high-profile figures associated with the MAGA movement have managed to escape using private jets, raising questions about access and resources during times of crisis.
Alex Bruesewitz, a Trump adviser, along with Sarah Daither, a dog-walker, and Jay Footlik, a former lobbyist, were among six individuals who successfully fled the region on a plane arranged by a private charter. This occurred following US strikes on Iran, which caused widespread disruption across the area. Bruesewitz shared his experience with Politico, describing it as “the craziest experience of my life.”
“I’m grateful for all of the people who played a role in getting us out of the active war zone and to safety. I can’t wait to get back to the USA, the greatest country in the world!” he said.
Bruesewitz used his connections within the White House, as well as officials in Saudi Arabia and Qatar, to secure the group’s safe passage after numerous airports were closed and the US Embassy instructed its employees to shelter-in-place.
Group Flew to Greece
The group made their way to Greece, arriving around midnight local time. The choice of Greece was based on Bruesewitz’s close US connections there, including Kimberly Guilfoyle, a US ambassador for the Mediterranean country and former fiancée of Donald Trump Jr.
White House Deputy Chief of Staff James Blair and Representative Anna Paulina Luna helped facilitate the group’s safe route, according to Bruesewitz on X. He also expressed gratitude to Saudi officials for ensuring that the other Americans and himself could safely board their flight and depart the Gulf without incident.
Guilfoyle’s team ensured a safe landing in Athens despite the short notice, Bruesewitz noted. “The past 72 hours have been utterly surreal, like nothing I’ve ever experienced before,” he wrote. “Iranian missiles were flying directly over my head.”
State Department Urges Americans to Depart Now
Sarah Daither had been on an African safari and was on her way back to the United States when she got stuck in Doha, Qatar, due to the military escalation in Iran. Sources close to Bruesewitz told the Daily Beast that Daither had posted on social media about being stranded, which Bruesewitz saw before reaching out to her and offering her a ride home on his chartered jet.
Bruesewitz is currently staying in the region to help coordinate other private evacuations, as reported by the Daily Beast. The Daily Mail has reached out to the White House, Luna, and Bruesewitz for comment.
The US State Department has issued warnings to Americans in 16 countries, including Israel, Qatar, Iran, and Saudi Arabia, urging them to ‘DEPART NOW’ using commercial transportation due to the ‘serious safety risks.’ The US Embassy in Jerusalem has warned staff to shelter in place as it is unable to evacuate anyone. Tel Aviv airport remains closed, and Jordan’s Queen Alia International Airport is running limited service.
Embassies On High Alert
The Israeli Ministry of Tourism is operating shuttle buses to assist stranded Americans in leaving the country, according to US Ambassador Mike Huckabee. Multiple US embassies were on high alert on Tuesday.
Embassies in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait came under attack as the State Department ordered the evacuation of non-emergency personnel and family in Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, Qatar, Jordan, and the UAE. A government source estimates that more than a million Americans are believed to be in the region.
This comes as the US and Israel launched a fresh wave of strikes on Iran’s capital, Tehran, warning civilians in Persian to evacuate the Hakimiya Industrial Zone and the area around Payam Airport in Karaj, where they were targeting military facilities. The announcement followed an overnight barrage that the Israelis claimed destroyed key government and security compounds in Tehran.
Trump Announced Initial Strike Saturday
Donald Trump warned that “the big one is coming” and that “the big wave hasn’t even happened.” The President announced the initial US strike on Iran at 2:30 am on Saturday from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.
“Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime, a vicious group of very hard, terrible people,” the Republican said. “Its menacing activities directly endanger the United States, our troops, our bases overseas, and our allies throughout the world.”
Trump detailed some of the violence Iran has perpetrated against Americans, including taking over the US embassy in Tehran and holding US citizens hostage in 1979. “The regime’s proxies have continued to launch countless attacks against American forces stationed in the Middle East in recent years as well as US Naval and commercial vessels in international shipping lanes,” the President said. “It’s been mass terror, and we’re not gonna put up with it any longer.”
Elite Paying Up to £260,000 to Flee Middle East
Wealthy elites are paying up to £260,000 to flee the Middle East on private jets, as reported. The super-rich are fleeing to Saudi Arabia to evacuate the Gulf, as Iranian missiles and drones rained over Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Qatar, and Bahrain last weekend—regions previously considered safe.
Riyadh is becoming a key exit route for those seeking a safe path out of the Middle East, as the airport in the Saudi Arabia capital is one of few still operating. However, the journey is costly—private security companies are reportedly booking fleets of SUVs to transport people on the 10-hour drive to Riyadh from Dubai and then chartering private planes.
Among those being evacuated are senior executives at global finance firms and high-net-worth individuals who were holidaying in the region or were there on a business trip, according to Semafor.
