White House officials have grown increasingly frustrated with Republican congresswoman Nancy Mace, accusing her of complicating efforts to evacuate Americans stranded in the Middle East by attempting to conduct her own rescue missions, according to people familiar with the matter.
The irritation with Mace has been building for days after she traveled to the region to try to transport US citizens across international borders and engaged with foreign governments without informing the state department, which has been coordinating evacuation flights.
Trump administration officials have taken particular issue with Mace’s outreach to Saudi Arabia, where she unilaterally engaged with officials to facilitate departures for Americans – and then asked the state department to requisition a Saudi commercial plane to transport 300 people.
“Secretary Rubio, I am asking you directly: please authorize this Saudi aircraft mission without delay. I have done the diplomatic work and secured the commitment,” Mace wrote in a 16 March letter, addressed to Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, reviewed by the Guardian.
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