When missiles started crossing the sky over Qatar, one Trump adviser was given the VIP treatment as others ran for their lives. Alex Bruesewitz, a political strategist who helped shape Donald Trump’s 2024 digital campaign strategy, said he spent 72 hours trying to escape the Middle Eastafter U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran triggered retaliation across the region.
Bruesewitz was in Doha, Qatar, when the attacks began. He described the experience in a post on Twitter after reaching safety.
“The past 72 hours have been utterly surreal, like nothing I’ve ever experienced before,” said Bruesewitz.
The 28-year-old said Iranian missile launches were visible overhead as tensions escalated across several Gulf countries.
“The Iranian missiles were flying directly over my head,” he wrote. “It was also remarkable to witness the Qataris and Saudis collaborating seamlessly to protect American lives, they are both incredible allies.”
Bruesewitz had been traveling with Qatar lobbyist and former Bill Clinton adviser Jay Footlik, along with Sarah Gaither, who Politico described as “a TikTok-famous dogwalker from Dallas.”
According to Bruesewitz, officials from the United States, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia helped coordinate an exit route while commercial travel across the region shut down. Many flights were suspended after Iran responded to the strikes with missile and drone attacks targeting US-allied nations.
Bruesewitz eventually left the region on a chartered private jet bound for Greece, which he said he paid for himself.
While the adviser thanked several Trump administration officials and Middle Eastern allies for helping coordinate the evacuation, thousands of American citizens across the region have struggled to find routes home as airports close and embassy operations scale back.