The U.S. State Department on Tuesday announced the formation of a Middle East Task Force to support Americans abroad amid rising tensions in the region.
“One of the highest priorities of the Trump administration is the safety and security of the American people,” spokeswoman Tammy Bruce told reporters during a briefing. “To that end, the Department of State has established the Middle East Task Force to help coordinate support for U.S. citizens, our U.S. diplomatic missions, and personnel and diplomatic engagement.”
Bruce said the task force has been operating 24 hours a day for the past week, issuing more than 30 security alerts and updating travel advisories for Iraq and Israel. Americans are being warned not to travel to Israel or Iraq and not to travel to Iran under any circumstances.
“We continue to monitor the complex and rapidly evolving situation on the ground,” Bruce added. “We urge all U.S. citizens to regularly visit travel.state.gov for the latest travel advisories and security updates and to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, also known as STEP, to receive timely alerts and guidance from the State Department for Americans needing assistance.”
Asked whether the task force will help Americans evacuate or return home, Bruce described its purpose as information focused: “The task force is a group of people who are working, taking the calls of American citizens around the world, making sure that they get connected with what they may need in that region.”
Bruce emphasized the department’s commitment:
It is the priority of Secretary Marco Rubio. It is the priority of everyone who works in this building, and the thousands of American citizens who work anonymously and whom you will never see, who are working in embassies and consulates around the world and working with those local nations to be there for American citizens and to help facilitate American diplomacy.
The launch of the task force follows renewed international concern over Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
“Since taking office, President Trump has clearly stated no fewer than a dozen times that Iran cannot be allowed to have a nuclear weapon,” Bruce said. “For anyone who is unclear on that fact, President Trump has made the same pledge no fewer than 40 times before taking office, even as far back as 2011.”
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