Indian American entrepreneur Soups Ranjan, a naturalized U.S. citizen and founder of a rapidly expanding global startup, says he feels “demoralized and abandoned” after being stranded in Dubai for days amid escalating regional tensions and widespread flight disruptions.
Ranjan had traveled to the Gulf on business, meeting financial institutions to discuss anti-fraud technology. But what was meant to be a routine work trip quickly turned into an anxious wait for a way home.
“I am a proud U.S. citizen and founder of a successful startup that employs 94 employees in the U.S. and 180-plus employees globally,” he wrote in a detailed post on X. “I was in Dubai on a business trip meeting with financial institutions to help them fight financial fraud in the region, but now I am stranded.”
After four days of uncertainty, he said the emotional toll has been heavy.
“I expected the U.S. government to do something to get U.S. citizens out, but I haven’t seen any meaningful action,” he wrote. “After four days of adrenaline and constant fear, I feel demoralized and abandoned by our government.”
Ranjan contrasted the U.S. response with that of other nations, saying it has been “difficult watching other countries — UK, Israel, Spain, Italy and India — repatriate their citizens or ensure that commercial flights continue operating to bring them home.”
For Ranjan, the experience has also shaken a deeper belief. “I became a naturalized U.S. citizen because I believe in the American dream, and the idea that in a crisis, America never leaves its citizens behind,” he wrote. “I see that American dream being shattered not just for me, but for tens of thousands of other Americans left stranded.”
He outlined three specific requests to U.S. authorities.
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First, he asked whether the government could work with airlines to prevent cancellations of U.S.-bound flights. “I’ve booked a dozen flights to leave Dubai and all of them got canceled, even as flights to other countries continue operating,” he wrote.
Second, if commercial routes cannot be stabilized, he urged Washington to organize evacuation flights (civilian or military), for Americans in Dubai and the surrounding region.
Ranjan referenced a public statement from the U.S. State Department indicating that officials were in contact with thousands of Americans and advising them to call 1-202-501-4444 for assistance. However, he said his own experience did not match that message.
“I am enrolled in STEP and have only received generic messages,” he wrote, referring to the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program. “On calling that number, the message you get is: ‘Please don’t rely on the USG for assisted departure or evacuation at this point. There are currently no evacuation flights at this time.’”
His third request centered on communication gaps. With reported funding cuts to U.S. consulates and security concerns affecting embassies in parts of the region, he said many Americans feel they have nowhere to turn.
“Can we set up an emergency hotline within the U.S. that actually works, and that has someone who is taking down more details?” he asked.
Ranjan also pointed to remarks by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stating that 1,500 Americans had contacted authorities seeking evacuation assistance. “How did they do that?” Ranjan wrote. “Because I am completely at a loss on who to call.”
He ended his appeal with a direct plea: “Myself and other Americans need help getting back home.”
As flight cancellations ripple across key transit hubs in the Gulf, stories like Ranjan’s underscore the uncertainty facing travelers caught far from home, and the mounting pressure on governments to respond.