Israel: Mace's trips, statements, and the 2026 evacuations

February, March 2025: Congressional trip to Israel

Mace traveled to Israel on a congressional trip February 13-21, 2025, on an AIEF/AIPAC-arm-sponsored trip disclosing $21,626 in travel (LegiStorm trip #58971). During the trip she posted on X (@NancyMace): "I'm in Israel where last night 3 buses were bombed. I'm here to see the evil that invaded Israel… Move to Gaza since you and your caucus love Hamas so much." (February 2025, Algemeiner / X status 1892759107683168430)

She also met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and posted a photo of the meeting (X @RepNancyMace, status 1900143551708594228, March 2025).

May 2025: Reflection post

On May 17, 2025, Mace posted on Facebook about "walking where Jesus walked" during what she described as a reflective visit to Israeli holy sites.

March 2026: The evacuation missions

During the 2026 Israel, Iran war, branded by the Trump administration as "Operation Epic Fury," launched February 28, 2026, Mace made two solo trips to the Middle East, embedding with Grey Bull Rescue (founder/CEO Bryan Stern), a Tampa-based veteran-led crisis-response nonprofit.

First trip (~March 8-12, 2026): After a stranded South Carolina constituent family contacted her office, Mace flew to the region. She helped secure a DHS/State Department-chartered plane. On approximately March 11-12, 2026, Grey Bull evacuated 155 Americans, including 11 infants, from Israel to Greece, described by the organization as Grey Bull's "808th mission." Mace told Fox News: "They had the people but didn't have the plane. I jumped in to assist."

Mace's X post announcing she left Israel on a flight full of Americans, March 12, 2026 (@RepNancyMace).

Second trip (~March 19-20, 2026): Mace returned to the Middle East to help a second South Carolina family, a mother and four sons, travel out through Jordan. She stated: "I have a manifest right now list of over 2,000 Americans that are stranded, ready to get out." (WSAV/Yahoo)

The White House clash

On March 18, 2026, The Guardian (reported by Raw Story and WTOC) reported that anonymous White House and State Department officials were critical of the missions. Their objections, as anonymously stated, included: Mace contacting the Saudi government directly without notifying State, then requesting a Saudi commercial plane for approximately 300 people; and urging Americans to relocate to Jordan before securing an onward flight, leaving a group that State officials said they had to retrieve. One anonymous official told The Guardian: "If members of Congress want to be helpful they should work with the administration instead of trying to exploit the situation for political gain." Every official who made these statements did so anonymously, no named official went on record.

Mace said she kept the State Department informed throughout and that State approved the DHS plane. Grey Bull's Stern said she was "fully embedded with our team, not to watch, but to work to save lives."

The White House friction fell within the broader backdrop of Mace's public feud with Trump over the release of Epstein files and his endorsement of her gubernatorial rival, Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette. Mace lost the June 10, 2026 South Carolina Republican gubernatorial primary, finishing fifth.

A separate controversy: Grey Bull/Hofstatter allegations

A parallel controversy arose when Dr. Lauren Hofstatter publicly alleged that Grey Bull Rescue delayed returning her daughter from Jordan unless approximately $1 million was raised, calling it "embezzlement and extortion." Stern denied the accusations, and Mace defended the organization. Grey Bull briefly suspended operations pending the dispute. These are unproven allegations against the nonprofit; no legal finding has been made.