White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt clapped back at a reporter who asked about evacuation plans for stranded Americans. Since the war between the U.S. and Iran broke out, thousands of Americans have been left stranded. Efforts are underway to bring those in Middle Eastern countries back home.
Leavitt recently made a statement about America’s ongoing war with Iran. She discussed why America chose to strike Iran with Israel. She also covered the sacrifices of the troops and the evacuation efforts. During the press conference, Leavitt was asked a rather pointed question by a reporter about rescuing stranded Americans.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the administration’s Iran actions and took issue with CNN’s reporting at today’s press conference. pic.twitter.com/WuoDPuZsl7
— Andrew Leyden (@PenguinSix) March 4, 2026
The reporter mentioned a State Department report saying 17,500 Americans have already come back. This includes an alleged 8,000 who recently returned. The reporter also mentioned approximately 6,000 Americans who were looking to “get out” from Iran and other Middle Eastern countries.
The reporter pointed to Leavitt’s mention of a timeline for Operation ‘Epic Fury.’ They asked whether more should have been done before the strikes. The goal would have been to help Americans in the region get home before day three of the war with Iran.
Leavitt appeared rather irritated at the question. She responded by citing the “many sides” shared by the Department of State. She expressed her anger and said she wished reporters would cover that side of the story. She felt that too much focus was being placed on what should have been done sooner.
🚨 Americans in the Middle East who need consular assistance can call the U.S. Department of State 24/7 at +1-202-501-4444. pic.twitter.com/j1Q0tvQLbp
— Department of State (@StateDept) March 4, 2026
Leavitt also pushed back on the reporter’s claims. She denied there had been a delayed response in evacuation efforts. She recalled the State Department’s advanced Level 4 ‘Do Not Travel’ warnings. Leavitt said, “You can’t be much more clear than that.”
She then shared another example of the Trump administration’s quick response. This one focused on Lebanon, early in the war with Iran. She claimed that even then, the U.S. Embassy had already acted. It had told families and non-staff to leave the country right away.
The White House press secretary recalled repeated warnings to American citizens in Iran to leave right away. She noted they had also been given a travel warning via the U.S. Embassy. She further backed the State Department’s efforts by citing the ‘Do Not Travel’ alerts issued to citizens.
Following the launch of U.S. combat operations in Iran, Americans worldwide and especially in the Middle East should follow the guidance in the latest security alerts issued by the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. They may experience travel disruptions due to periodic airspace… pic.twitter.com/UBMAQAonNV
— U.S. Embassy Addis (@USEmbassyAddis) March 1, 2026
Lastly, Leavitt addressed the Americans who are still stranded. She highlighted Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s statement to those stranded. The statement on social media platforms like X asked stranded citizens to register on the website. This would allow them to be found and contacted for evacuation.
She added that the Trump administration was working to arrange charter flights. Some commercial flights were being set up as well. Leavitt noted that those boarding these flights will not be asked to pay for the journey. She also stated that unnamed “additional measures” were in place to bring those stranded home.
Reporter: Thousands of Americans are stranded. Why wasn’t there an evacuation plan?
Trump: Well, because it happened all very quickly, we thought, and I thought maybe more so than most. I could ask Marco, but I thought we were going to have a situation where we were going to be… pic.twitter.com/DdAKasW8TT
— Acyn (@Acyn) March 3, 2026
Leavitt also shared President Donald Trump’s goal. He wants all Americans stranded in the Middle East to come home. She ended her statement saying, “We will not rest until every single American is returned home safely.” Leavitt’s firm response comes amid growing backlash.
Many Americans are still waiting to be rescued during the Iran War. Many have expressed their fear and anger amid the rather unsafe situation. With efforts underway, reports of every American who has come home are highly awaited.
